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Boy, 8, critical after shooting Boy, 8, shot in abdomen and arm
(about 7 hours later)
An eight-year-old boy remains critically ill after a shooting at a travellers' site in South Tyneside. An eight-year-old boy has suffered shotgun wounds to his abdomen and arm, police have confirmed.
Police said the victim was in a "critical but stable" condition after undergoing surgery on Friday night. 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 on suspicion of wounding following the incident, thought to have happened at West Pastures in Boldon. A 10-year-old boy was arrested following the incident on Friday afternoon and remains in custody.
Supt Jim Napier confirmed the weapon used in the shooting was "some kind of firearm, a gun". Supt Jim Napier said: "We believe the answers to this incident lie within the travellers' site."
"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," he said. Supt Napier added: "I would like to reassure the public that we do not have someone wandering around with a gun shooting children."
Appealing for witnesses Supt Napier also sought to reassure the public. He said it was too early to speculate whether the victim and the suspect were related.
"I would like to reassure the public that we do not have someone wandering around with a gun shooting children," he said. The young boy underwent surgery on Friday night and remains in a critical but stable condition.
He added that 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.West Pastures is a small permanent travellers' site to the south of Gateshead.