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| Salford shooting: mother of seven-year-old boy describes attack | Salford shooting: mother of seven-year-old boy describes attack |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The mother of the seven-year-old boy shot at close range in Salford has described how she saw blood pouring from his leg after the attack linked to a gangland feud, as the family released a photograph of the child’s injuries for the first time. | |
| In a statement released through Greater Manchester police, Jayne Hickey, 29, described the horrific moment she realised her son Christian had been shot but was unable to help him. | In a statement released through Greater Manchester police, Jayne Hickey, 29, described the horrific moment she realised her son Christian had been shot but was unable to help him. |
| Hickey was also shot twice in the legs after opening her front door to two gunmen in Winton, Eccles, at about 9.30pm on Monday. She said: “I just saw blood pouring from Christian. I screamed for his dad to put pressure on him. I know he had been shot and I couldn’t help him. I collapsed. | |
| “I had been put with Christian yesterday in the children’s ward but I then had a deterioration and had to go back to an adult ward. I can’t be with him; I can’t kiss him, cuddle him and tell him that he will be all right. Because of the shooting I can’t care for my son.” | |
| In the image of Christian released by the Hickey family, he can be seen on a hospital bed with heavily bandaged legs. Christian had a second operation on Thursday. | |
| The attack has been linked to a dispute between two rival gangs fighting over the lucrative drug trade, in a bloody dispute that flared up following the murder of Salford’s “Mr Big”, Paul Massey, on the driveway of his home in July. | The attack has been linked to a dispute between two rival gangs fighting over the lucrative drug trade, in a bloody dispute that flared up following the murder of Salford’s “Mr Big”, Paul Massey, on the driveway of his home in July. |
| Police also revealed that since Monday’s shooting a number of Salford gang figures had been told by officers that their lives were in danger, in what are known as Osman warnings. | Police also revealed that since Monday’s shooting a number of Salford gang figures had been told by officers that their lives were in danger, in what are known as Osman warnings. |
| Related: Salford shooting of mother and son linked to heroin turf war | Related: Salford shooting of mother and son linked to heroin turf war |
| Ch Supt Mary Doyle said officers had also issued warnings to people who had made death threats towards others, known as reverse Osman warnings. Between 10 and 20 people have been issued Osman and reverse Osman warnings. | |
| Hickey described her son as “an athletic, sporty boy”, and said: “He likes boxing, swimming and football. I really hope he can do this in the future. He loves life; he is so happy and enjoys school. He is a very popular boy with pupils in his class.” | |
| In a press conference outside Swinton police station, Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe said: “I am appealing to all the mothers, grandmothers, aunties and sisters of children in Salford to search your conscience. An innocent seven-year-old boy is in a hospital bed after being shot on the doorstep of his own home. As a mother myself I cannot begin to imagine the pain and anguish his mother is going through. No one imagines that their little boy will be shot as they answer the door. | In a press conference outside Swinton police station, Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe said: “I am appealing to all the mothers, grandmothers, aunties and sisters of children in Salford to search your conscience. An innocent seven-year-old boy is in a hospital bed after being shot on the doorstep of his own home. As a mother myself I cannot begin to imagine the pain and anguish his mother is going through. No one imagines that their little boy will be shot as they answer the door. |
| Related: Salford shooting: shocked locals see gang wars come to their door | Related: Salford shooting: shocked locals see gang wars come to their door |
| “The shooting will be etched on Christian’s memory forever, and sadly we can’t change what happened to him. What we can do is find the people that did this and put a stop to the violence in Salford right now, so no more of our children get hurt. These people are capable of shooting a mum and her little boy. Please don’t protect them. | “The shooting will be etched on Christian’s memory forever, and sadly we can’t change what happened to him. What we can do is find the people that did this and put a stop to the violence in Salford right now, so no more of our children get hurt. These people are capable of shooting a mum and her little boy. Please don’t protect them. |
| “If your little boy was shot you would want answers and we are asking you to be brave and break your silence for the sake of all the other children in Salford who are now at risk. I want to stress that if you come forward with what you know, we can offer you complete anonymity and I assure you that you will have our full support. Or if you don’t feel you can talk to police but you have information, you can speak to Crimestoppers anonymously. | “If your little boy was shot you would want answers and we are asking you to be brave and break your silence for the sake of all the other children in Salford who are now at risk. I want to stress that if you come forward with what you know, we can offer you complete anonymity and I assure you that you will have our full support. Or if you don’t feel you can talk to police but you have information, you can speak to Crimestoppers anonymously. |
| “Enough is enough: drug dealing and fighting is bad enough but a seven-year-old should never be shot at their own front door. Whatever you think of the police, please do the right thing, name the gunmen, and help us save Salford from any more violence.” | “Enough is enough: drug dealing and fighting is bad enough but a seven-year-old should never be shot at their own front door. Whatever you think of the police, please do the right thing, name the gunmen, and help us save Salford from any more violence.” |
| Hickey and her son were shot after answering the door to two men who asked: “Where’s your husband?” | Hickey and her son were shot after answering the door to two men who asked: “Where’s your husband?” |
| More than 200 police officers carried out dawn raids across Salford on Wednesday, arresting a number of people and seizing a substantial amount of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis, a stolen motorbike and cash. Nineteen of those arrested were charged with drug offences. | More than 200 police officers carried out dawn raids across Salford on Wednesday, arresting a number of people and seizing a substantial amount of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis, a stolen motorbike and cash. Nineteen of those arrested were charged with drug offences. |
| But Sutcliffe said inquiries into the identity of the men who shot Hickey and her son had been met with “a wall of silence”. She added: “I understand that people are reluctant to talk to police, but if you know who is behind these horrific shootings, your information could help to stop further atrocities in your community.” |