Police at the scene near Warcop, Cumbria. (Image: Frank Chalmers / SWNS)
A farmer has broken his silence after tragically witnessing an eight-year-old boy die after being shot in the head near Wheatsheaf Farm in Cumbria.
Emergency services descended upon a hillside next to the farm on Saturday following reports that a young boy had suffered severe firearm injuries.
Tragically, the youngster succumbed to life-threatening wounds to his head and face overnight, prompting Cumbrian Police to confirm an arrest for GBH assault at the scene.
A farmer who owns the land where the grim event unfolded, told The Sun: “I had to witness what happened. It’s deeply upsetting. My mother is in her 80s and ill.”
Another village local, a concerned mother, expressed uncertainty over details, mentioning: “We don’t know fully what happened yet. I have heard that he didn’t go to the school in Warcop… A lot of us have kids of that age. It’s a very tight-knit community.”
A farmer has broken his silence after witnessing the incident. (Image: Frank Chalmers / SWNS)
She continued: “We all have kids at that school so there was panic this morning that it may have been someone we knew. I read an e-mail from our school saying the victim didn’t go there so we don’t know where they were from. It is quite shocking and you really feel for the family. It is terrible news.”
Another villager, a father himself, expressed his shock: “I’ve had my friends ask me this morning about it. It’s a sad thing to happen here but I don’t know the family. It’s a quiet village but people have been quiet about it so far today.”
Cumbria Police released a statement regarding the incident: “Police are investigating following the death of an eight-year-old boy. Emergency services were called at around 2.50pm yesterday (28 Sept) to a farm in the Warcop area following a report that a child had been seriously injured by a firearm at the property.”
“Police and NWAS attended. The firearm was secured at the scene by police and an eight-year-old boy was taken to hospital by air ambulance having suffered serious and life-threatening injuries to his head and face. Sadly, the boy has died overnight.”
The statement continued: “Officers arrested a man in his 60s at the scene on suspicion of assault GBH. He remains in police custody but is now under arrest on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.”