A father and his 15-year-old son remain in a critical condition after masked intruders broke into their home in Thurnby, Leicestershire, and stabbed them during a midnight attack.
The boy was stabbed three times, according to a friend, while his father, a man in his 50s, was also seriously injured. The boy’s mother, who is in her 40s, suffered minor injuries to her hand and shoulder and has since been discharged from hospital.
Three other children who were inside the property were not injured. The two masked men fled before armed police arrived at about 12.30am.
A neighbour said residents were woken by shouting, screaming and banging. “It was like a horror scene, we heard shouting, screaming, banging noises – it woke us up,” they said.
The neighbour said two men were seen running from the house before disappearing in the darkness. After contacting the family, the neighbour called 999.
“She said her husband was dying and her son was very badly hurt, then we rang 999,” the neighbour said. “Lots came – police, ambulances, armed police as well, maybe 16-17 vehicles, it was awful.”
A friend of the teenager said the “innocent” boy had been stabbed three times by alleged gang members who robbed the family’s home.
Leicestershire Police said armed officers were deployed after reports of the break-in, but the suspects had already left the area. Forensic investigators later examined the property while the road was cordoned off.
Detective Inspector Lorna Granville, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said the attack appeared to have been completely unprovoked and that officers were 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.”
Detective Inspector Granville appealed to people in Thurnby and surrounding areas who may have seen or heard anything suspicious around Station Road and Somerby Road between 11pm and the early hours of the morning.
She urged anyone with dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage to contact police, adding: “Anything you’re able to provide, no matter how insignificant you think it might be, could help us.”
Residents living near the scene said they felt unsafe, while one eyewitness described being woken by flashing police and ambulance lights.
“We’re really frightened and very concerned, and we’re concerned for the people and all the children that were witnessing it,” the witness said. “They’re very nice people who keep themselves to themselves and [are] good neighbours.”
