Key Points:
- Armed police officers with guns and shields are at the scene of an ongoing incident near Hardwick shops in Stockton.
- Officers were spotted off High Newham Road on Friday afternoon.
- Witnesses claim police have entered a flat, but this has not been confirmed by Cleveland Police.
- The armed response is linked to a shooting in Riccarton Close, Roseworth, on Wednesday evening.
- Five people have been arrested in connection with the Stockton shooting.
- Arrests include an 18-year-old man for firearm possession, three women for assisting an offender and possessing an offensive weapon, and another woman for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
- Police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Armed police officers have descended on Hardwick, Stockton, in response to an ongoing incident near a row of shops. Photographs taken at the scene on Friday afternoon show officers carrying guns and shields off High Newham Road.
Witnesses claim that police have entered a flat in the area, though Cleveland Police has yet to confirm this detail. One local resident expressed concern, saying: “It’s a common scene now on this estate and it’s sad the way it’s going. It was never this bad.”
How is this linked to the Roseworth shooting?
Cleveland Police has confirmed that the armed response in Hardwick is connected to an ongoing investigation into a shooting that occurred in Riccarton Close, Roseworth, on Wednesday evening. Officers were initially called to the area after reports of a smashed window, but CCTV footage later revealed that a firearm had been discharged at a semi-detached house.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Hodgson from Stockton CID said:
“Since it was established that a firearm had been discharged at a property in Roseworth, we have been working around the clock to gather information that will assist in identifying who is believed to be involved. This has led to numerous activity throughout the night to apprehend individuals and is very much ongoing.”
Who has been arrested in connection with the shooting?
Five people have been arrested in connection with the Stockton shooting, including:
- An 18-year-old man from Norton, arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm to endanger life.
- An 18-year-old woman from Norton, a 29-year-old woman from Stockton, and a 41-year-old woman from Stockton, all arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and possession of an offensive weapon.
- A 19-year-old woman from Stockton, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
As of Friday morning, all five suspects remained in police custody for questioning.
What do we know about the police investigation?
Police have yet to confirm whether further arrests have been made in Hardwick, but the investigation remains active. Officers are urging members of the public who may have any information to come forward.
