Sheffield shooting: 12-year-old boy injured in drive-by attack

Police investigating motive after gunman opens fire on group in street

Both children and adults were standing in a group in the Errington Road area when a white car fired on them (google maps)

A 12-year-old boy has been injured in a drive-by shooting in Sheffield.

The child was among a group of young people and adults gathered in a street in the city's Arbourthorne suburb when a gunman in a white car opened fire at 3.45pm on Sunday.

The victim was struck in the leg and was taken to hospital, where police said he was in a stable condition.

Detective Inspector Denise Booth, of South Yorkshire police, said: "Specialist officers have been in the area this afternoon and evening, examining the scene and speaking to witnesses as we work to piece together the exact circumstances of this incident, what led to it and to identify those responsible.

"What we know so far is that the boy was with a group of other people, both children and adults, in the Errington Road area when a white car is said to have driven past, firing shots out of the window. The car left the area heading towards East Bank Road."​

Ms Booth added: "In the early stages of the investigation, as we continue to gather evidence, we are exploring all lines of enquiry as to the motive of the incident."

"I understand and appreciate the concern this news will cause within the local community particularly given the victim's age, and to help provide some reassurance to residents, we will have an increased presence in the area tonight and over the coming days.

"This matter is an absolute priority for us and it's imperative that anyone with information or concerns speaks to an officer."

While still relatively rare, gun crime in the UK increased by 2 per cent in the year ending March 2018 according to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics – with 6,521 incidents involving firearms recorded by police.

Some 29 of these incidents resulted in fatal injuries, with 309 – or 4.7 per cent of total firearm related incidents - led to serious injuries.