On a quiet afternoon in Downley, High Wycombe, the peace was shattered by a violent confrontation that would leave a lasting mark on a community and its police force. On May 10, 2024, Jason King, a 55-year-old resident of School Close, launched a shocking attack that began with a stabbing and escalated into a dramatic standoff involving a crossbow, multiple police officers, and ultimately, gunfire.
The chain of events began with a long-standing dispute between King and his neighbour, Alistair Mahwuto. According to ITV News, the altercation turned violent when King stabbed Mahwuto with a small knife, inflicting a two-centimetre wound. Mahwuto later told the court, “The incident has affected me more than I would have ever imagined,” adding that a doctor warned his injury could have been fatal if it had been a few centimetres higher.
As the situation unfolded, police were called to the scene. What they encountered was far from routine. King, agitated and armed, retreated into his home, removed an upstairs window, and began firing a crossbow at officers gathered below. According to the Bucks Free Press, he not only shot at police from the window but also targeted a police dog named Merlyn—thankfully missing the animal.
The tension escalated when King left his house, crossbow in hand, and pursued PC Curtis Foster. Prosecutor Graham Smith, as reported by ITV News, described how King was seen “grinning” as he exited his address before shooting Foster in the leg. The crossbow bolt pierced the officer’s leg, causing a wound two to three centimetres deep and alarmingly close to a major artery. “It was great fortune the officer who was shot had not suffered greater injuries,” Smith emphasized.
For the officers on the ground, the fear was palpable. One of the armed officers, who cannot be named for security reasons, recounted the harrowing experience to the Bucks Free Press: “The thing that will stick with me is hearing the sheer fear in my colleague’s voice over the radio. I think it’s very rare for police officers to scream for help. That’s not what happens as we go to people who scream for help.”
As King continued to threaten those at the scene, police cordoned off the area and issued urgent orders for residents to evacuate. The officer described the chaos: “My colleagues were under attack by a dangerous man with a dangerous weapon who had one very clear intention. That was to seriously injure or kill members of the public or police officers.”
Despite repeated warnings, King refused to put down his weapon. The officer who ultimately shot King explained, “We don’t just turn up and shoot people, that’s not what we do—we give people an opportunity, but he didn’t want to take them. That led us to neutralise him.” King was shot once in the abdomen, treated at the scene, and then transported to hospital. “I thought I had killed him. I went to bed that night thinking I had killed someone, which was the worst feeling in the world,” the officer admitted. “None of us wants to pull that trigger, and I felt awful, but first aid kicked in and he survived.”
King’s actions, according to Judge Jonathan Cooper at Aylesbury Crown Court, were driven by “revenge” and a “sense of grievance” towards both his neighbours and the police. The day before the attack, King had called police to report that his windows had been broken, an incident he felt had not been handled properly. During sentencing, Judge Cooper stated, “I note that you purchased the crossbow, I don’t accept it was for recreational purposes. I consider that this was an attempt by you to arm yourself in the event of need.” He further remarked, “It was as if you were trying to hunt down the officer, chasing him, aiming at his body.”
King pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, possession of a blade or point, possession of an offensive weapon, wounding with intent, and affray. On August 20, 2025, he was sentenced to nine years in prison, with a further three years on extended licence, as reported by ITV News and other outlets. The judge’s words left no doubt about the gravity of the incident: “King’s actions, including chasing officers and continuing to shoot at them, were evidence of him ‘attempting to settle a score with police.’”
During the trial, King’s defence lawyer, Mark Kimsey, acknowledged the “very frightening” nature of the incident and indicated that King had been suffering from a “worsening mental condition.” Kimsey noted, “It appeared at the time the defendant believed he was able to speak to the neighbour’s dog, and speak in dog,” and even claimed King thought he had contact with an “Egyptian god.” The crossbow, Kimsey argued, was a legally purchased item that “can be freely purchased by anybody and cost less than £20.”
The impact of the ordeal was deeply felt by those involved. The officer shot by King reflected on the aftermath, stating, “The incident has changed my outlook on life a bit,” and added that he now feels more protective of his colleagues. “I don’t want anyone else to experience what I experienced, I hear jobs coming through on the radio and I don’t want my colleagues going out to them,” he said, according to ITV News. The officer admitted the incident had “knocked” his confidence, and a doctor had warned that the injury could have been “catastrophic.”
In the courtroom, King was described as displaying erratic behaviour, waving and making heart gestures to his family, and at times interrupting the judge. Throughout the proceedings, the sense of relief was apparent that the outcome, though traumatic, had not been more tragic. Prosecutor Graham Smith stressed that it was “great fortune” the injuries were not worse.
The police watchdog’s subsequent investigation commended the officers for their “courage, professionalism and sound judgment” in handling an extremely volatile situation. The community, too, was left to reckon with the reality that a crossbow—an item easily purchased and legal to own—could be wielded with such devastating intent.
As the dust settles in Downley, the scars—both physical and emotional—remain for those involved. The case stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by police officers and the unpredictable nature of violence, even in the most familiar of neighbourhoods.
