Joanne Penney named as victim

A woman shot dead in a block of flats has been named locally as Joanne Penney.

The 40-year-old was killed at a property on Green Park in Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on Sunday evening.

A 42-year-old man from Talbot Green has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody.

South Wales Police remain at the scene and are investigating the incident.

A number of crime scenes have been set up in the area as inquiries continue and road closures remain in place as officers gather evidence.

Det Ch Insp James Morris said: “I understand the concern this will cause the local community, and I want to reassure people that a team of experienced detectives are already working at pace to piece together the events of last night.”

Residents of the town, approximately ten miles north-west of Cardiff, have spoken of their shock and alarm at the fatal shooting.

Local councillor Sarah Jane Davies said recent events in the area had caused “concern and alarm” in the community.

Calum Williams, who lives just a few houses from the incident, said he heard the gunshot.

“It’s terrible. I live just two doors down from where it happened. I was making a bottle for the baby and I heard a gunshot.

“It’s pretty frightening, especially with the baby.”

Carolyn Pugh, who lives nearby, said she heard the police helicopter hovering last night.

“It was scary. Within seconds, they [police] were everywhere,” she said.

“You didn’t know what was happening but you knew there was something bad.

“I’ve been here about 28 years and it was never like this.”

Local resident Anthony Dando, 59, also said he was shocked by the incident.

“We’ve had trouble around here before but never with a gun. It’s frightening that sort of thing happens so close to your front door,” he said.

“It’s shocking to hear what happened to the girl. It’s so sad for her family and our thoughts are with them.”

There is shock here that a member of this community has been shot and killed at a home on a very ordinary street, just a stone’s throw away from Talbot Green’s popular out-of-town retail park.

The police outer cordon stretches across the road between a sheltered housing complex and a detached house.

Behind the cordons, scenes of crime officers and South Wales Police’s scientific unit are examining a number of locations on the maisonette-lined cul-de-sac.

Police are signing residents in and out of the taped off area.

Some say this is a quiet area without any trouble. Others have said there are drug problems and have been fights.

All say, however, they never expected a gun to be used here.