Parents of schoolboy, 15, who was shot in face ‘fought to save their seriously injured son’

Neighbours of a teenage boy who allegedly blasted a former school friend in the face claim they would hear him firing a BB gun in his back garden.

The teenager was arrested two hours after a year 11 pupil, 15, was shot in the jaw at close range on his way to Kesgrave High School with what witnesses have described as ‘a long bore rifle’.

A school source said the boy – who is critical in hospital – was close friends with his alleged shooter but in recent weeks had a falling out. 

The alleged shooter’s mother said she thought her son was at school at the time of the shooting on Monday. 

The suspect lived with his single mother in a terraced home in the village of Woodbridge, five miles from the scene of the shooting. 

Neighbours described the teenager as ‘a nice young lad’ who was always pleasant to talk to.

‘There has never been a problem with him, he was a nice lad’ said one neighbour.

‘I hear him out in the back garden shooting. It was a BB gun or something similar.

‘He lives with his mother, it’s just been the two of them for years, but I think she now has a boyfriend.’ 

His mother claims she hasn’t been able to speak to her son –  who was yesterday arrested by armed police in Ipswich on suspicion of attempted murder. 

She told The Sun: ‘I haven’t been able to speak to my son, I can’t even talk to my boy.’

She added: ‘It’s serious isn’t it? It’s obviously serious. I’m shocked, I thought my boy was at school, can you imagine?’ 

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 Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.  

The parents of the 15-year-old victim rushed from their home and fought to save their son after hearing the gun blast. 

A neighbour who also ran to help the boy after hearing his screams has described the horrific scene as ‘like a war zone.’

The 77-year-old, who asked not to be named, said the victim’s parents comforted him as they waited for an ambulance to arrive.

‘It was like a war zone,’ said the neighbour. ‘I was in my house and heard a loud bang and looked out to see what had happened.

‘I ran out to see if I could help and was offering to perform CPR but it was not needed.

‘People were on the phone telling the ambulance to hurry up. It was awful to see. From my medical experience I would say he will have life changing injuries.’ 

The neighbour said he saw a long bore rifle at the scene.

He said he had spent two hours with police giving a detailed statement of the events.

Officers using a metal detector searched pathways and driveways for fragments of the bullet.

Friends described the victim as a ‘lovely lad’ and a ‘normal kid’ who enjoyed being a Scout and music.

It has been 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 in a convertible car belonging to his father outside a large detached home. 

The unnamed victim had been returning to school for the first time since lockdown when he was blasted in the jaw, according to witnesses. 

Police have confirmed a weapon has been recovered.

Suffolk police have not revealed where the firearm was found. 

Superintendent Kerry Cutler said: ‘We have arrested an individual that we believe is involved in the incident and we also recovered a weapon. 

‘The suspect, who is said to be from the Woodbridge area, was arrested by armed police on suspicion of attempted murder of the Kesgrave High School pupil.

‘Everybody is shocked, Kesgrave is on the outskirts of Ipswich… this is not something we’ve seen in that area before and people will be impacted by it.

‘The investigation goes on and we’re still appealing for anybody who saw anything or has any information to come forward.’  

Gun expert Neil May said long barrel firearms – such as the one described by witnesses – usually refers to rifles.

‘A long barrel firearm would typically be a rifle that fires an single centre shot,’ he said.

Mr May, who sells up to 200 rifles a year from his store Kent Gunsmiths in Faversham, Kent, said the ownership of such weapons is very tightly controlled by the police.

Last night police were quizzing a teenager 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.

Superintendent Cutler added today: ‘Sadly we believe this to be an isolated incident we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

‘We don’t believe this incident to be linked to any type of organised criminality, just a tragic, isolated incident that has happened in Kesgrave, which is really shocking.’

When asked about the motive she said: ‘That will all form part of the investigation that is being carried out by officers from our major investigation team to try to understand of what led to the events of yesterday morning.

‘It has just brought sadness to this area, this is a lovely area, it is a really strong community area, it is a small town.

‘Lots of people live here that work in the local area, with lots of schools in the area, it really is sad for the area.

‘My thoughts at the moment are with the boy’s family, all of our prayers are with them.’

Friends described the victim, a pupil at Kesgrave High School, as a ‘lovely lad’ and a ‘normal kid’ who enjoyed being a Scout and music.

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. 

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.

Neighbour retired paramedic Richard Bennett, 72, today 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.

‘It takes me a little while to get out of bed and get going, but when I looked out the window again I saw police tape.

‘I thought it was serious but I didn’t know how serious.

‘As the day went on we found out a 15-year-old boy had been shot over there, I can’t believe it.

‘It’s horrible, to hear.

‘All these people on this road we were out clapping with each other due to the covid problem.

‘Everyone was happy and then this happens.

‘We have looked out the window and watched the children come out to school.

‘We know the boy and have watched him walking out with his uniform on and seen him grow up.

‘It is really tragic and awful, especially for their parents and people involved with him.

‘We know the boy by sight, to think what has happened is awful.’

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 neighbour of the victim said: ‘He’s just a lovely, normal lad. He goes to Scouts, has piano lessons and plays the guitar. I can’t think we anyone would want to do this to him.’

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 are 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.’