Boy, 8, badly injured in shooting

An eight-year-old boy has been seriously injured in a shooting at a travellers' site in South Tyneside.

Police said a boy, aged 10, has been arrested on suspicion of wounding following the incident, thought to have happened at West Pastures in Boldon.

The victim, who was shot in the arm and the chest, is undergoing surgery, Northumbria Police said.

The weapon used in the shooting was "some kind of firearm, a gun", Supt Jim Napier confirmed.

"We are working to try and put together the pieces of what this incident was about but it is too early to speculate at this stage," said Supt Napier.

"If there was anybody in or around that travellers' site who saw or heard anything suspicious between 12 and 1pm today I would urge them to please contact us.

"They might have a vital piece of information which could help us build together what happened.

"We are convinced that the answer lies within the site and that the incident occurred within the site.

"I would like to reassure the public that we do not have someone wandering around with a gun shooting children."

He said it was too early to speculate whether the victim and the suspect were related.

West Pastures is a small permanent travellers' site to the south of Gateshead.

THE BBC

Boy, 8, shot in abdomen and arm

An eight-year-old boy has suffered shotgun wounds to his abdomen and arm, police have confirmed.

He remains critically ill in South Tyneside District Hospital after he was injured during a shooting at a travellers' site in Gateshead.

A 10-year-old boy was arrested following the incident on Friday afternoon and remains in custody.

Supt Jim Napier said: "We believe the answers to this incident lie within the travellers' site."

Supt Napier added: "I would like to reassure the public that we do not have someone wandering around with a gun shooting children."

He said it was too early to speculate whether the victim and the suspect were related.

The young boy underwent surgery on Friday night and remains in a critical but stable condition.

West Pastures is a small permanent travellers' site to the south of Gateshead.

THE BBC

Omg i hope theyboy pulls through thats bad that