A 15-year-old boy and his father are fighting for their lives in hospital after being attacked in their own home by masked intruders in what police describe as a "completely unprovoked" assault.
Officers rushed to a property in Thurnby, Leicestershire, during the early hours of Thursday after reports that two masked men had broken in and attacked the residents. The teenager and his father, a man in his 50s, remain in hospital in a life-threatening condition following the attack, which occurred just before 12.30am at a house in Station Road, Leicestershire Police confirmed.
Family members injured in the attack
The boy's mother, a woman in her 40s, sustained minor injuries to her hand and shoulder during the ordeal and has since been released from hospital, while three other children who were present in the house escaped unharmed.
The force confirmed that armed officers were dispatched to the scene, but the masked attackers had fled before their arrival. On Friday afternoon, a forensic investigation vehicle was spotted outside the property, which remains sealed off with a police officer standing guard.
Police appeal for information
Detective Inspector Lorna Granville, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said the assault appears to have been "completely unprovoked" and investigators are working to establish the motive. She said: "This was a violent attack against a family in their own home which appears to have been completely unprovoked.
"Our investigation to understand what happened and why – and identify those behind such a horrific criminal act – is going to continue over the weekend.
"I'm making a direct appeal to people in Thurnby and the surrounding communities to come forward with any information if they haven't already done so. We owe it to the victims to locate the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
"I'd like to speak to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious, unusual or untoward in the area of Station Road and Somerby Road between 11pm on Wednesday and the early hours of yesterday morning.
"This includes anyone who was driving in the area and captured anything on a dashcam, or anyone with CCTV or doorbell footage. Anything you're able to provide, no matter how insignificant you think it might be, could help us."
Community in shock
Several locals residing near the scene confessed they were too frightened to discuss the incident with the media, expressing feelings of insecurity.
A man, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed he was awoken in the middle of the night by the flashing lights of police and ambulance vehicles. He told the Press Association: "We're really frightened and very concerned, and we're concerned for the people and all the children that were witnessing it. They're very nice people who keep themselves to themselves and (are) good neighbours."
The force has launched a major incident portal where information can be submitted at mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM26I90-PO1.
