Gary Otchere reports from the scene of a shooting.
A single shotgun bullet wounded two youths in the Custom House area on Bonfire Night (5th November). The two students, both aged 17, were in Fortis Close, off Prince Regent Lane, when they were shot at. The shooting seems to have occurred at random, although police have not ruled out the possibility that it was gang related.
Either way, local residents are appalled.
‘The area is getting worse,’ said Elena, a mother of three from Churchill Road. ‘It shocks me but doesn’t surprise me’. Another mother from Tree Road said: ‘Now it’s getting dark so quickly I don’t only fear for my children’s safety but also for my own.’
‘This is ridiculous,’ said Tommy, a mechanic from Shipman Road. ‘It’s the type of news you hear about Syria. I won’t be allowing my daughters to play outside no more.’