Eight arrested over killing of Craig Hodson-Walker

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Eight arrested over killing of Craig Hodson-Walker in village post office robbery

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Eight people have been arrested over the murder of Craig Hodson-Walker, the man shot dead defending his parents' village post office from armed robbers.

They were taken into custody during a series of early morning raids at six addresses across Birmingham.

Mr Hodson-Walker, 29, died after being shot in the chest as he tried to fend off four masked raiders at Fairfield Post Office and Stores in nearby Fairfield, Worcestershire, on Friday morning.

His father, Ken, the village sub-postmaster was shot in the leg during the attack and remains in a stable condition in hospital following surgery.

The gang, who were armed with a sledgehammer and a handgun, made off in a stolen silver Volkswagen Golf which was later found abandoned nearby.

West Mercia Police investigations have centred on an area of south Birmingham and Solihull where they believed the car was driven in the run-up to the robbery.

They have also appealed for sightings of a white car seen speeding in Bournheath Road between 8.15am and 8.30am on Friday.

West Mercia Police said four people had been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder while the others were being held on suspicion of assisting an offender.

It is understood that the eight suspects include some women.

They are being held at several police stations.

Officers from West Midlands Police, which includes Birmingham, joined colleagues from West Mercia for the raids. Police added that the investigation was still in its "early stages" and issued a fresh appeal for information on the shootings.

A £50,000 is being offered by the Post Office for information leading to the conviction of Mr Hodson-Walker's killers.

Villagers paid tribute to Mr Hodson-Walker at a special service in the village on Sunday which was attended by his mother, Judy, 56, his brother James, 27, and his fiancee Lisa Bundy, 26.