Statement following the death of Dawn Sturgess

Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, said:

"Foremost in my thoughts are the family and friends of Dawn Sturgess at this terribly sad and difficult time. I send my condolences to them as they attempt to come to terms with what has happened over the last number of days.

"Ms Sturgess was an innocent member of the public who should have been able to go about her daily life without becoming an unwilling victim in such an unprecedented, international, incident.  

"I am horrified and appalled that an illegal and lethal nerve agent has used on the streets of our county. And while the city of Salisbury has bounced back so resiliently, it saddens me greatly that Ms Sturgess, and now her family, are bearing the devastating impact of this incident.

"Officers involved in the ongoing police investigation, led by Counter Terrorism Policing and supported by Wiltshire Police, are doing all that they can to find the source of this contamination, and to find out who was responsible.

Although I understand the sense of anxiety that will be felt within our communities, it is important to reiterate that the advice from Public Health England, based on current evidence, is that the risk to the general public as a result of this incident remains low."