Police have issued descriptions of two men who shot a 7-year-old boy and his 29-year old mother at their home on Gillingham Road in Winton last night.
Both victims were shot in the leg in the attack, which happened at around 9.25pm on Monday 12 October.
Two men are believed to have approached the semi-detached house on foot, knocked on the door and when the mother opened the door engaged in a brief conversation.
When the woman’s young son came to the door, one man pulled out a firearm and shot three times through the doorway, hitting the boy once in his leg and his mother twice.
SalfordOnline.com broke the news here
GMP Deputy Chief Constable Ian Hopkins directly linked the shooting with the murder of Paul Massey in Clifton on Sunday 27 July.
Read: White man with automatic weapon wanted for Paul Massey murder
DCC Hopkins told a joint police and council press conference in Swinton this morning that the “sickening” attack is the result of two feuding groups thought to operate in the Swinton and central Salford areas.
It’s thought the dispute goes back over 12 months, and started with a “disrespect-type incident”, but said lot of low-level violence linked to the feud could have gone unreported.
Police said today they believed the offenders had deliberately targeted the young boy.
The first man is described as being white, around 19-20 years old, with stubble on his face and wearing a baseball cap. He is of chunky build and spoke “slowly” with a local accent.
The second, who is believed to have fired the shots, is described as being white and wearing a baseball cap.
They left the scene on foot.
Both victims were taken to hospital under armed guard to be treated for gunshot wounds.
The boy is in surgery in hospital this afternoon and is said to have life-changing injuries.
He is expected to be in hospital for an extended period of time and could be scarred for life by the attack.
His mother’s injuries are not considered to be life-threatening.
The deliberate shooting of a child “crosses a line”, said police chiefs today.
Anyone with any information is urged to call the Greater Manchester Police Major Incident Team hotline on 0161 856 5345 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
