A 15-year-old boy and his father are fighting for their lives in hospital after being attacked by masked intruders in their own home, in what police describe as a "completely unprovoked" assault.
Officers were called to a property in Thurnby, Leicestershire, in the early hours of Thursday after reports that two masked men had forced their way inside and attacked those within. The teenager and his father – a man in his 50s – remain in a life-threatening condition following the incident, which occurred just before 12.30am at a house in Station Road, Leicestershire Police confirmed.
Family members injured
The boy's mother and the man's wife, a woman in her 40s, sustained minor injuries to her hand and shoulder during the ordeal but has since been discharged from hospital, while three other children present in the property escaped unharmed. Armed officers were dispatched to the scene, though the masked attackers had fled before their arrival, the force confirmed.
By Friday afternoon, a forensic investigation vehicle was visible outside the cordoned-off address, where a police officer stood on guard. Detective Inspector Lorna Granville, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, stated that the assault appeared "completely unprovoked" and that officers are working to establish a motive.
Police appeal for information
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."
Residents express fear
Multiple residents living close to the location stated they were too frightened to discuss the incident with journalists, though they expressed feeling vulnerable. One man, who requested anonymity, described waking during the night to discover police and ambulance lights illuminating the area. 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 established a major incident portal where details can be submitted at mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM26I90-PO1.
