Two men thought to be responsible for Oxney Road shootings - Cambridgeshire

From the Peterborough Telegraph Two men thought to be responsible for a brutal triple shooting at the Oxney Road Travellers’ site in Peterborough are still being hunted by police.

Detectives have revealed that they believe three men were gunned down from a vehicle with two people inside on Monday (17 September). Officers say at least one person opened fire from within the vehicle with a shotgun, hitting the victims and causing serious injuries. Three men, aged 41, 43 and 46, were wounded, two of them seriously and remain in hospital today.

One of the victims suffered serious abdomen and leg injuries and had to be air lifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. A second man was seriously wounded in the back and leg and the third victim had minor injuries to his leg. The first two patients remain in a serious but stable condition in hospital. Detectives in the hunt are now following a number of lines of enquiry, particularly that it is thought two people were responsible.
 The search for the culprits remains close to the city but the team investigating the shooting are liaising with neighbouring forces. Detective Inspector Dave Grierson said: “We continue to follow the usual lines of enquiry speaking to witnesses who were present at the time, looking for any CCTV opportunities and speaking to the victims. “We believe two people were involved in the incident and at least one of them discharged a weapon. We believe it is more than one and that a vehicle was used to get on and off the site. “At this stage our enquiries are local and we are linking in with surrounding forces. “This is being treated as an isolated incident and investigations are ongoing to establish who is responsible for this shooting and what the circumstances are behind it.” The attackers gunned down their victims at about 10am, prompting a massive response from the emergency services. Armed officers were seen cordoning off the site and securing the area before allowing unarmed police onto the site. The East of England Ambulance Service sent its specialist hazardous area response team to the shooting - a group of trained paramedics who can enter a ‘hot zone’ before it is safe. And both the Magpas Helimedix emergency medical charity and the East Anglian Air Ambulance scrambled to the scene to administer first aid before one of the victims was airlifted to hospital. East of England Ambulance Service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “Three men were treated at the scene for ballistic type injuries, two of which were deemed serious. They were all taken to hospital for further care.” After the men were sent off for treatment, specialist scenes of crimes officers examined the site for evidence. They were at the site for several hours and much of the road remained taped off with armed officers on the scene for most of the day. The shooting is now being investigated by the major crime unit, a specialist group of detectives drawn from Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire forces. The arrival of the police was the first most people knew about the incident with a busy road masking many noises. Eye-witnesses recalled seeing dozens of police officers and about 10 police cars surrounding the area, although the force has not confirmed how many were at the scene. East Ward Councillor Marion Todd said: “I don’t think anybody knew what had happened, even the travellers themselves weren’t aware until the police arrived. “It was all very sudden. “It is a very unpleasant business for everybody. I feel very sorry for the families, particularly of the chap who was very seriously injured ,and we are all thinking of them. “From what I have been told it is an incident within the traveller community. “The police said the community is being very helpful in their enquiries. “I just hope that the people who were shot make a full recovery and they catch whoever is responsible. “I have been in Peterborough for 30 years and have never heard of anything quite like this before.” One woman, who lives in nearby Heron Park, said there had been trouble in the area in the past but nothing like this incident. She said: “I heard a few bangs which could have been gun shot but it is quite noisy here because of the road. “But I didn’t know what it was and I haven’t heard anything since. “We occasionally get people in the street being a bit noisy but nothing too serious.” Anyone with information should call the major crime unit on 101.