Teens arrested after boy, 11, shot 'while playing video games'

3 May 2020, 20:25

Two teenagers have been arrested after a young boy was shot and left with possibly life-changing injuries.

Scotland Yard said a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old, both male, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and taken into custody following the incident in Upminster, east London, on Friday night.

Police officers and the London Ambulance Service attended an address on Kerry Drive after being called at 9.30pm, finding the boy, aged around 11, suffering from a gunshot injury.

The Sun on Sunday reports the boy was shot in the arms as he was playing video games in another room.

A man, believed to be in his 40s, who police later said was the boy's father, was also found at the address with cuts to his head.

Both were taken to hospital for treatment, where the boy remains in a serious but stable condition.

Police previously said that a number of suspects had made off from the scene prior to the arrival of officers.

In an update on Sunday, the Metropolitan Police said that detectives had established that the homeowner opened the front door to a person "purporting to be a delivery driver".

"This male, and a number of other suspects - believed to be in possession of a knife - forced their way into the property," the force said.

It is not known whether the man's injuries were caused by the firearm discharge or a knife, with his condition reported to be not life-threatening or life-changing.

Two firearms were recovered from the address, with work ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident, police said.

Local residents previously described their shock at what had happened in their quiet "leafy suburb".

An 82-year-old local resident, who did not want to be named, said: "You just can't imagine it. I just feel so sad for it to happen.

"I've lived here 32 years and I've never heard of anything like this before."

Another 53-year-old local resident, who gave her name as Sharon, said she was "pretty shocked" by the incident.

She said: "It's not the sort of area that this goes on. This is a really, really quiet lovely area. I know all my neighbours up and down on this road."

She added: "It doesn't happen in this road. This is a leafy suburb. People walk their dogs, people come here for a quiet life."

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Josh Collins said his family knew the adult victim, describing him as "a nice geezer" and "just your average bloke".