Police have seized the gun that murderous thugs used to shoot seven-year-old Christian Hickey and his mother Jayne Hickey in Winton, Salford.
Shortly before 10pm on Tuesday 15 December officers stopped a car in the Mobberley area of Cheshire.
A search of the vehicle revealed two firearms.
Police forensics linked one of the guns to the doorstep shooting of the mother and son on Monday 12 October.
Aldaire Warmington, 29, and Christopher Hall, 46, have been charged with possession of firearms.
Both appeared in court on Friday 18 December and have been remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Crown Court.
The city was outraged when reports filtered through that at 9.25pm on 12 October two men had approached Jayne and Christian’s home on Gillingham Road, knocked on the door and fired at the seven-year-old and his mother.
Read: Mum and 7-year-old son shot in the legs on Gillingham Road, Winton
Watch: Outrage over Salford horror shootings: ‘City in fear’ demands police response
Jayne suffered two gunshot wounds to her legs, while Christian needed repeated surgeries for a gunshot wound to his left leg.
READ: Bullet pulled from boy’s leg could hold key to Salford double shooting
The same seized firearm has also been linked to a shooting at a car wash in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan on 30 March.
A man wearing a balaclava jumped out of a white vehicle and blasted a number of gunshot towards the Express Hot Hand Car Wash on Bolton Road.
The victim was shot in the abdomen.
The Wigan shooting was later linked to a gangland grenade attack on a house in Duchy, Salford.
Read More: Shocked locals see bomb disposal teams on Formby Road after grenade throwb at house
After the Winton shooting Jayne described the horror of seeing her son with “blood pouring” from his wound.
Police appealed to “all the mothers, grandmothers, aunties and sisters of children in Salford to search your conscience”.
The boy’s own heartbreaking letter to Santa included a request to find the men responsible for the shooting.
A dedicated information hotline was set up on 0161 856 9775, or people can also pass information on by calling 101, or the independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
