A neighbour has described waking to terrifying screams after a father and his teenage son were stabbed during a midnight raid on their home.
Armed police were called to the property in Thurnby, Leicestershire, after reports of a “completely unprovoked” break-in in the early hours of Thursday.
Two masked men entered the house at about 12.30am and seriously injured the father and son. The boy’s mother, a woman in her 40s, sustained minor wounds to her hand and shoulder.
She has since been released from hospital, but the boy and his father, who is in his 50s, remain in critical condition following the “violent attack”.
Three other children were inside the property at the time but escaped injury.
The neighbour told Sky News: “It was like a horror scene. We heard shouting, screaming and banging noises – it woke us up.”
“We saw two men running out of the house. It was so dark – they disappeared.”
“We rang our neighbour and she said her husband was dying and her son was very badly hurt, then we rang 999. Lots came – police, ambulances, armed police as well, maybe 16 or 17 vehicles. It was awful.”
A 15-year-old boy was stabbed three times by masked men who also attacked his father during a terrifying midnight raid on their home, leaving both fighting for their lives
The boy and his father – a man in his 50s – remain in hospital in a life-threatening condition after the “completely unprovoked” attack
A friend of the critically injured teenager said the “innocent” 15-year-old had been “stabbed three times” by “gang members who robbed their home”.
Leicestershire Police said armed officers were sent to the scene, but the masked suspects had fled before they arrived.
Forensic investigators were seen outside the property on Friday, while the road remained cordoned off and guarded by a police officer.
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Detective Inspector Lorna Granville, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said the attack appeared to be “completely unprovoked” and that officers were working to establish a 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.’
Several residents living near the scene said they were too scared to speak to the media about what had happened, but they described feeling unsafe.
Police and forensic investigators arrived at the scene in Thurnby, Leicestershire
Another eyewitness, who did not wish to be named, said he woke up in the middle of the night to see police and ambulance lights flashing.
He said: ‘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.’
