Pictures show police cars beside a field where an eight-year-old boy died after an incident involving a gun left him with head and face injuries. The boy suffered the injuries in the incident on a farm near Warcop, Cumbria, on Saturday at around 2.50pm.
Police confirmed on Sunday morning that he passed away overnight after being taken to hospital in an air ambulance. Cumbria Constabulary said the firearm was secured by officers at the scene and a man in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter following his death.
Locals described seeing officers and paramedics ‘purposefully marching’ across the small field, just off the A66, not long after the incident. One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “When I first came across it, it was about 3pm when I was heading out towards Penrith.
“I saw the medical emergency helicopter in the small field. There’s a level field and then a field rising quite steeply up to where the solitary police car was.
“It must have just been called in. I think everything was happening at that time. Police had arrived en masse and medics were marching up the field with a purpose.”
A Cumbria Constabulary spokesperson said: “Emergency services were called at around 2.50pm yesterday (Sept 28) 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 (North West Ambulance Service) 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.
“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.”