Boy, 11, is feared to have 'life-changing injuries' after armed burglars dressed as deliverymen barged into home and shot him as he played videogames
- A gang forced entry into an Upminster home by posing as deliverymen on Friday
- Ray Hawkins, 45, opened the door believing it was a parcel delivery at 9.30pm
- Mr Hawkins and his son, 11, were rushed to hospital with injuries after the raid
A boy of 11 is feared to have suffered ‘life-changing injuries’ after he was shot in the arm by burglars posing as deliverymen.
The gang forced entry into his family’s semi-detached house after the boy’s father – businessman Ray Hawkins, 45 – had opened the door believing it was a parcel delivery at 9.30pm on Friday.
Mr Hawkins, who suffered a cut to his head from a machete, and his son were rushed to hospital after the raid in Upminster, East London.
A gang forced their way into 45-year-old Ray Hawkins's home after posing as deliverymen on Friday at 9.30pm. Mr Hawkins and his son were rushed to hospital after the raid
The Metropolitan Police said the 11-year-old boy may have 'life-changing injuries' but that neither him or his father had life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made. Father Ray Hawkins, 45, is pictured above
The Metropolitan Police said neither had life-threatening injuries but the boy’s ‘may be life-changing’. He had been playing videogames when the gang broke in.
A spokesman added that there had ‘been no arrests at this stage’. A police helicopter had been scrambled to hunt for the robbers.
Mr Hawkins’s wife Laura had a knife held to her throat, reports the Sun on Sunday. She is uninjured.
A neighbour said Mr Hawkins runs a designer flooring company. Refurbisher Lee Wingate, 52, who has lived at a neighbouring property for 18 years, said the cul-de-sac is 'dead quiet'.
'The only reason why anyone would want to come by here is if they're going to the park,' he said.
'The problem police will have is that these are all bungalows. The bedrooms are at the front and the lounge is in the back. No one will hear anything with their TVs on.'
Officers pictured at the scene in Upminster, east London, on Saturday
A road block remained in place on Saturday. Police said no arrests have been made
Neighbour Marilyn O'Connor, 70, said on Friday: 'I heard loads of police cars last night but I didn’t know what was going on.
'I then read on Facebook that a small boy has been shot this morning.
'It's just so unnerving. This is a quiet place, it's a leafy suburb. You wouldn't expect something like that to happen in a place like this.'
Peter Frost, 71, retired, said: 'We didn't hear anything as we've got double glazing.
'There's been a lot of confusion. First we thought a woman's been attacked, then someone's been stabbed, and now a boy's been shot.
'This is a quiet road, lots of retirees around here. It's a nightmare for that poor boy to be left with injuries like that.
'You just hope he'll be able to live as best a life as he can, get by, and hopefully he'll recover. I'm sure everyone will be behind him.'
A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: 'Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area as part of reassurance patrols over the weekend and are encouraged to approach officers to speak about any concerns.'
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