Boy, 15, shot in the face as he walked to school
Teenager left fighting for life as ‘former friend’ is held by the police
A BOY aged 15 was in a critical condition in hospital last night after being shot in the face on his way to school.
The alleged attacker – believed to be a former friend – is said to have been waiting outside the teen’s home.
The unnamed Year 11 pupil had been returning to school for the first time since lockdown when he was blasted in the jaw, according to witnesses. The gunman is said to be a fellow pupil at the school.
Last night police were quizzing a 15-year-old arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The shooting happened at 8.40am in an upmarket area of Kesgrave, near Ipswich, Suffolk.
Paramedics spent 90 minutes battling to help the boy before he was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Friends described the victim, a pupil at Kesgrave High School, as a ‘lovely lad’ and a ‘normal kid’.
Witnesses claimed the two boys used to be friends but had fallen out. Two hours after the attack, armed police pounced on the suspected gunman in another part of Kesgrave.
Residents described their shock as a dozen firearms officers swooped with dogs. The boy was said to be found hiding in a convertible car belonging to his father outside a large detached home.
The owner of the property said: ‘I heard this huge commotion. Dogs barking, police shouting and smashing the windows of the convertible. He didn’t want to come out. There were ten to 12 officers with guns. He was totally surrounded. I saw him being detained by police about 11am.
‘He was wearing jogger bottoms and a sweat top. He didn’t say anything. I had seen that car earlier in the morning at about 9am parked outside my house but no one was in it then.’
The suspect was hauled into a police car in handcuffs. Officers were last night probing whether he drove to the scene before making his getaway despite not being old enough to drive.
Another resident said the suspected gunman hid in his back garden, but escaped before armed police arrived.
He said: ‘I got woken up because my dogs were going absolutely ballistic at the back of the house.’
He added that the suspect had a hooded top over his arm concealing whatever he was carrying.
Last night a friend of the victim’s family said: ‘He is completely normal – he does Scouts, has piano lessons and guitar. He’s literally a completely normal kid, straightedged and genuine. It’s just so random to me.’
The victim’s parents, who work in the tech industry, and other members of his family were all said to be devastated.
One mother of a pupil at the school wrote on Facebook: ‘My daughter and friends were walking to school and heard what sounded exactly like a gunshot. Then lots of people [were] screaming and a lady saying “Run! Someone has been shot”. I had four terrified children come running back to mine.’
Last night police said they were not looking for anyone else over the attack.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told the Commons: ‘Our thoughts are very much with the young person, their family and the whole school community at this very difficult time.’