Hero 'Ricky' highly decorated

Constable Gray - known to his friends as Ricky - was held in the "highest esteem" by his colleagues, Chief Constable Paul West said today.

To leave your tributes to Constable Richard Gray, click here.

The 43-year-old had worked in the West Mercia constabulary for four years, but had been a police officer for longer.

He was posted to Shropshire division where he served as a response officer and an authorised firearms officer.

Constable Gray married his partner Jenny in a ceremony in Venice in August last year. The couple had been together for 16 years. He also had two grown up sons from a previous marriage.

Born in Dundee, Scotland, in July 1963, the father-of-two was educated at St Saviours High School, which he left in 1980.

Constable Gray was due to receive the Chief Constable's Certificate of Commendation, the highest award given by the force, later this year.

He gained the prestigious honour for his part in the arrest of an unstable man with a firearm in Shrewsbury in the early hours of April 22, 2006.

Both a taser and a baton gun were discharged by officers during the incident in which a violent man confronted the officers with a semi-automatic pistol following a stop check on a driver.

The man used extreme violence in an effort to escape from police.

Constable Gray had already been given a Chief Constable's Commendation and a Judge's Commendation for his part in the arrest.

Officers had received a call from a member of the public who expressed concern about the movements of a man who was well known to police.

Constable Gray and a colleague spotted the man driving his car in the Frankwell area, and then stopped him in Radbrook.

Despite not being initially violent the man became more aggressive when told he would be searched. He threw a number of items out of the car including a black self-loading semi automatic pistol.

All three men tried to grab the gun and the suspect managed to get hold of it and picked it up in a marksman-type grip, with his finger on the trigger.

Both officers struggled on the ground with the man. They managed to recover the pistol and the man was eventually overcome with the use of CS spray and placed in handcuffs. The man was later jailed for two years after admitting possession of an imitation firearm with intent.

In November 2006 Constable Gray, along with colleagues Keiron Cornell, John Morris and Richard Salt, received commendations for rescuing a woman from the River Severn.

In February 2005 he received a similar commendation with colleague Christopher Duffner for putting their lives at risk by holding on to a man intent on jumping into the River Severn.

Mr West said today: "All his colleagues, both police officers and police staff, are devastated by his tragic death, particularly those who worked with him on his regular shift at Shrewsbury. He will be sadly missed by us all.

The chief constable said Constable Gray's awards "spoke volumes" for the sort of man he was

"My thoughts and the thoughts of everyone working for West Mercia are with Constable Gray's family at this extremely sad time."

He added: "I have received many messages of condolence for Ricky's family from across the police service in England and Wales.

"I am also extremely grateful for the support shown by the local community in Shrewsbury at this time."