Gunman threatens police during 14-hour siege after chicken kebab arrives cold
In a bizarre and dangerous incident, Paul Burton, 46, and Nathan Turner, 38, held armed police officers at bay for 14 hours, enraged over their cold and incomplete chicken kebab delivery.
Fueled by a combination of valium and vodka, the duo decided to take their delivery driver hostage, capturing the entire standoff on Facebook Live within the confines of Turner’s flat, The Mirror said.
Claiming that their chicken kebabs arrived cold and without salad, Burton and Turner justified their actions by stating that the delivery driver, who had allegedly waited outside their flat for 45 minutes, would have to endure an hour with them upstairs. Turner broadcasted the standoff live, accusing the delivery driver of stealing his salad and the warmth from his takeaway.
He is heard telling police: “I ordered two kebabs. The geezer sat outside my flat for 45 minutes so I thought it was only fair, seeing as he forgot my salad and it was cold, that he would have to wait upstairs with me for an hour.
“So I’d like to report a crime, they stole my salad and they stole the heat off my takeaway.”
CCTV footage reveals Burton brandishing a large air rifle with a telescopic sight in a corridor, leading a concerned neighbor to describe it as resembling an AK47 in a 999 call.
Threatening to shoot the first officer entering, Burton created a tense situation that prompted police marksmen to surround the Bedford block and call for the duo to surrender.
During the standoff, Turner showcased a cache of weapons, including an axe, scythe, and truncheon, warning that anyone entering his house should be prepared with guns and knives. The Channel 4 series “24 Hours in Police Custody” provides a behind-the-scenes look at the November incident.
Siege commander Supt Steve Ashdown strategically positioned an officer ready to use lethal force if necessary. Burton was seen on an eighth-floor balcony aiming at officers, leading to a chilling radio transmission of having been shot at, with a .22 pellet fired into the windscreen of a dog unit car.
On Facebook, Turner, who had recently been banned from seeing his daughter, expressed despair, stating he had lost everything and bidding farewell to followers with a grim acknowledgment of potential consequences. Eventually, the duo surrendered, and the RSPCA removed snakes and lizards, including a 13ft python, from the flat.
Burton faced a seven-year jail term after admitting to attempted grievous bodily harm and having an imitation firearm, while Turner, admitting affray and criminal damage, received a 20-month sentence.
