A memorial service was held in Plymouth today as a mark of respect for the victims of last Thursday’s Keyham shootings tragedy, and at this morning’s emergency reconvening of Parliament at Westminster, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer all expressed their shock and sympathy for those affected.

The memorial service at St Andrew’s Church in Plymouth saw five candles being lit by dignitaries in memory of the victims, with the event being held to offer prayers and hope for the families and friends of those whose lives were lost and the wider community, and to pay tribute to the emergency services personnel who responded to the incident.

The service was led by the Anglican Suffragan Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt Revd Nick McKinnel, who in his address made reference to previous tragic events commemorated at St Andrew’s, such as the storm which overtook the Fastnet Race in 1979 and the 1993 Lyme Bay canoe disaster, as well as the military funerals held at the minster church. However, he said the 12 minutes of murder in Keyham last Thursday “brought shocking scenes to a quiet residential street in our city in a way none of us could have imagined”.

He added: “For a three-year-old child to be killed so senselessly, and her father; for someone not to return from walking the dog because a gunman is in the park; for someone to murder the parent that gave birth to them; for a woman to be shot outside the hairdressers; and for children of primary school age to witness bodies lying in their road; it is too unbearably painful to contemplate.”

During the service there was another minute’s silence to remember the victims – and their killer, who in recent days has been revealed to have received treatment and help for mental health issues; the prayers at the service were “To remember before God Maxine Davison, Sophie Martin, Lee Martin, Stephen Washington, Kate Shepherd and the man who murdered them, Jake Davison.”

Devon and Cornwall Police is being investigated as to why the force a month ago returned his shotgun licence to 22-year-old Jake Davison after it had been taken from him in September following an allegation of assault. On Thursday evening Davison first shot his mother Maxine, 51, in her home, then shot passers-by three-year-old Sophie Martyn and her dad Lee,43, in the street.

After then attacking Ben Parsonage, 33, and his mother Michelle Parker, 53, – who both survived and have been receiving treatment in hospital – Davison then went on to shoot dead dog walker Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66, who died later in hospital.

The tragedy was also at the forefront of politicians’ minds at the start the emergency reconvening of MPs at Westminster held in response to the Afghanistan crisis. At the start of session the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, paid his respects to the Keyham victims and their families and was immediately followed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said: “Before I turn to today’s debate, I’m sure the House will want to join you, Mr Speaker, and me, in sending our condolences to the family and friends of those killed in the appalling shootings in Plymouth last week. Investigations are of course continuing, but we will learn every possible lesson from this tragedy.”

Labour Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer then added his own message of sympathy, saying: “Before I get to the urgent issue at hand, let me join you, Mr Speaker, and the Prime Minister, in condemning the appalling shootings in Plymouth last week. We all send our condolences to the bereaved families. We must resolve to ensure that firearms do not get into the hands of dangerous people, and finally to get to grips with the way that hate thrives on the internet.”