Mum of teen shooting suspect sobs ‘I thought my boy was at school’ after Scout, 15, gunned down
THE mum of a pupil who allegedly gunned down ‘an ex-pal’ on the way to school broke down in tears today, sobbing “I thought my boy was at school”. The devastated parent confirmed her lad, 15, was being held over the attempted murder of the 15-year-old schoolboy in Kesgrave, Ipswich, yesterday. She said she had […]
THE mum of a pupil who allegedly gunned down ‘an ex-pal’ on the way to school broke down in tears today, sobbing “I thought my boy was at school”.
The devastated parent confirmed her lad, 15, was being held over the attempted murder of the 15-year-old schoolboy in Kesgrave, Ipswich, yesterday.
She said she had not been allowed to speak to her son – a gaming fanatic – since his arrest.
She told The Sun: “I just don’t know anything about the boy who has been shot, so I’m just worried sick.
“I’m waiting for the police to come round, I just don’t know anything.
“I haven’t been able to speak to my son, I can’t even talk to my boy. I haven’t been able to see him.
“It’s serious isn’t it? It’s obviously serious. I’m shocked, I thought my boy was at school, can you imagine?
“I was calling the police saying ‘what’s happened, what’s happened, what’s happened?”
What we know so far…
- 15-year-old boy was shot on his way to school at 8.40am yesterday
- Paramedics spent 90 mins battling to save him before flying to hospital
- He remains in a critical condition receiving “urgent” medical care
- Teenage boy was arrested by cops in Ipswich a short time later
The suspect, 15, is being held by cops on suspicion of trying to murder the schoolboy as he made his way to school.
It is understood he fled to his grandparents’ house – possibly in his dad’s car – after the attack and tried to hide in their back garden.
The shooter and victim are understood to have been “good pals” for years – before “a huge issue” wrecked their friendship recently.
They became close as Scouts and enjoyed shooting and archery together.
Neighbours on Tuesday told how the victim’s parents battled to save their son after hearing the shooting and rushing to their lad in the road.
He is currently fighting for his life in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, where surgeons have operated on his face.
He suffered a single blast to the head from a long-barrelled gun.
Cops today said they had recovered the weapon, but did not say where it was found.
‘LOVELY LAD’
Friends described the victim, a pupil at Kesgrave High School, as a “lovely lad” and a “normal kid” who enjoyed music and being a Scout.
Witnesses claimed the victim and his alleged attacker, also 15, used to be friends but had fallen out.
The ambush happened at about 8.40am yesterday as the Year 11 victim made his way to Kesgrave High School.
The school was put into lockdown while families in surrounding streets were warned not to leave their homes.
I had four terrified children come running back to mine. There are now at least four police cars lined up outside the road involved.
Local mum
Retired paramedic Richard Bennett, 72, revealed his shock after he heard the shot ring out yesterday morning.
He said: “I woke up at about twenty past eight and heard what I recognised as a gun shot.
“I’m assuming there’s some stupid argument that has got completely out of hand.
“He comes from a good family, there’s no trouble around here, people get on with their lives.”
Armed police raided a detached property and a suspect was seen being handcuffed and put in a police car.
Police were still on the scene today and a cordon sealing off an affluent estate remained in place.
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, straight-edged and genuine. It’s just so random to me. When I heard about it I thought it might be a random drive-by like in America.”
The victim’s parents, who work in the tech industry, and other members of his family were all said to be devastated.
One parent told The Sun: “It was a very, very loud bang. Then there was a lot of shouting and screaming.”
And a mum wrote on Facebook: “My daughter and friends were walking to school and heard what sounded exactly like a gunshot, then lots of people screaming and a lady saying, ‘Run, someone has been shot.’
“I had four terrified children come running back to mine.”
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Investigators believe the shooting was not ‘a drive-by’ although senior cops have confirmed a car was involved – explaining how the suspect was arrested five miles away.
Assistant Chief Constable for Suffolk Police, Rob Jones, said in a statement: “A teen was arrested in Ipswich on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with this incident.
“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 now satisfied this was an isolated incident and there is no wider threat to the local community.”
