Police hunt gunman after ‘shooting’ involving Year-11 pupil in Ipswich as school is put on lockdown
- Officers have raced to scene after reports of gunshot in Kesgrave, near Ipswich
- Headteacher has written to parents saying incident involved a ‘Year 11 student’
- Police have declared the incident as a ‘serious incident’ and are investigating
A school has been put into lockdown as police hunt for a suspected gunman after reports of a ‘shooting involving a Year 11 pupil’.
Officers have swarmed the area following reports of a gunshot in Kesgrave, near Ipswich.
The incident reportedly involves a Year 11 pupil who was on their way to school at the time.
Suffolk Constabulary said in a statement: ‘Police are currently at the scene of a serious incident in Kesgrave.
‘Officers were called just after 8.40am, Monday 7 September, to reports of a shooting in Grange Farm.
Police at the scene of the incident in Grange Farm in Kesgrave, which is near to Ipswich
‘Friends Walk and Through Jollys are completely closed off at present and there is a partial closure on Ropes Drive. Members of the public are asked to avoid these areas.
‘Any witnesses, or anyone with information about this incident, is asked to contact Suffolk Police on 101 quoting reference CAD 58 of 7 September.’
According to the Ipswich Star, the headteacher of Kesgrave High School, Julia Upton, sent an email confirming the incident involved one of its Year 11 pupils ‘on their way to school’.
The message reportedly said: ‘We have been made aware by the police that there has been a serious incident involving one of our Year 11 students on their way to school.
Suffolk Constabulary said in a statement: ‘Police are currently at the scene of a serious incident in Kesgrave.’
‘Students in school are safe and we are managing the situation in constant close communication with the police.
‘Students are to remain in school, and will be kept safe in liaison with police.
‘Police will be present in the area and around the school throughout the school day.
‘At the present time we are expecting students to be dismissed at the end of the school, day at 3.20pm as normal.’
An Essex and Herts Air Ambulance landed on a grass area and took off just before 10am.
A land ambulance is also at the scene, along with a number of police cars.