Suffolk shooting: Teenager arrested after 15-year-old boy shot on way to school

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A teenager has been arrested following a shooting in Kesgrave on Monday morning, police have said.

The victim, a 15-year-old boy who was on his way to school at Kesgrave High School, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where is he receiving urgent medical treatment.

According to Suffolk Police, the teenage boy arrested has now been taken into police custody for questioning.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Jones said: “Following this serious incident our priority is to keep everyone safe.

“We have now made an arrest as part of the investigation and are working with our partners in Suffolk and our schools to ensure that everyone feels safe when they are collecting their children from school this afternoon.

“There will be more police officers on patrol and to provide reassurance in the area and I would ask for anyone with information about this incident to come forward.”

Police responded to reports of a shooting in Grange Farm just after 8.40am on Monday, calling it a “serious incident”.

Kesgrave High School said in a tweet it was aware one of its Year 11 students had been involved in the incident, adding: “Students in school are safe and we are managing the situation in constant, close communication with the police.”

Suffolk Police said Friends Walk and Through Jollys are completely closed off and there is a partial closure on Ropes Drive.

Members of the public are advised to avoid these areas.

A spokesperson for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance confirmed an air ambulance was sent out to the area this morning.

A resident in Kesgrave said a man believed to be the suspect in the shooting had been hiding in his back garden, but escaped before armed police officers arrived.

The man, who owns an animal shelter in the area, told the PA news agency the suspect appeared to be in his mid-20s and “looked like he hadn’t had a haircut for a while”. He also said the suspect had a hooded top over his arm to conceal whatever he was carrying.

He said he was alerted to the suspect’s presence as his dogs “were going absolutely ballistic at the back of the house”.

“When I went to the back window to have a look there was a gentleman who looked like he was carrying something, at first I thought it was a bat or pole or something, and he went down behind my exotic animal enclosures,” said the shelter owner, adding that he did not see where the suspect went.

“I’ve got very well-trained dogs. The two biggest have a 700 PSI (pounds per square inch) bite power, much more than the German shepherds the police have.

“So if someone jumps out they’re pretty screwed. I said to the police if they come in the garden again I’m setting all six dogs out on them and good luck to them,” he added.”