Schoolboy shot and fellow pupil arrested
Fifteen-year-old suffers life-changing injuries as suspect is said to have been former friend
A boy was left fighting for his life after being shot as he walked to school in an upmarket area of Ipswich yesterday morning. The 15-year-old victim was shot in the jaw and suffered life-changing injuries. Police later arrested a teenage suspect, a fellow pupil, five miles away.
A SCHOOLBOY was critically ill in hospital after being gunned down by a fellow pupil as he walked to school in an upmarket area of Ipswich yesterday morning.
The 15-year-old victim had just left home at around 8.40am and was making his way along Friends Walk on the Grange Farm development to nearby Kesgrave High School, when it is understood he was approached by another teenager who shot him once.
Witnesses claim the suspect then hid in a nearby back garden before making his escape as armed police and an air ambulance arrived at the scene.
Locals described hearing a loud single shot that sounded like it came from a rifle followed by a piercing scream.
The victim was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where he was described as being in a serious condition. It is understood he was shot in the jaw and suffered life changing injuries.
Locals who claimed to know the boys said they had been friends who had fallen out recently but it was not clear why.
Police were last night seeking to establish how the suspect had managed to get access to a firearm.
Kesgrave High School, which has around 1,800 pupils aged between 11 and 18, was placed into lockdown while armed police scoured the local area for the attacker. Around two hours later, just before 11am, Suffolk Police confirmed that a 15-year-old suspect had been arrested five miles away in the Westwood Avenue area of Ipswich on suspicion of attempted murder.
There were reports that the teenager had been driving his father’s car when he was apprehended by armed police.
Witnesses who saw the arrest described the suspect, who was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, as looking unperturbed as he was handcuffed and taken away by officers.
Parents and pupils at Kesgrave High School were informed of the incident by head teacher Julia Upton shortly after arriving for classes yesterday morning.
‘We are satisfied that this was an isolated incident and there is no wider threat to the local community’
She explained: “We have been made aware by the police that there has been a serious incident involving one of our Year 11 students on their way to school.
“Students in school are safe and we are managing the situation in constant close communication with the police. Students are to remain in school, and will be kept safe in liaison with police.
Police described the incident as “isolated” and insisted there was no threat to the wider community.
Rob Jones, Assistant Chief Constable for Suffolk Police, sought to reassure locals last night, but refused to discuss the possible motive behind the shooting. He said: “Our immediate thoughts at this time are with the victim of this horrific incident and his family, who we are providing full support to. I understand this attack will have caused a great deal of alarm and distress to the people of Kesgrave and the surrounding area, but we are satisfied that this was an isolated incident and there is no wider threat to the local community.
“Our priority is to keep everyone safe and I would like to stress that crimes such as this are extremely rare in Suffolk. This is an area with a number of schools nearby and going forward, parents should not be concerned about dropping off or collecting their children. However, there will be additional officers on patrol in Kesgrave to provide reassurance and I would encourage anyone with any concerns or information to speak to them.”
Addressing the incident in the Commons, Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, said: “I think we’re all shocked and saddened to learn about the incident in which a young person was seriously hurt on their way to school in Suffolk today.
“Our thoughts are very much with the young person, their family and the whole school community at this very difficult time.”