This is the shocking moment a moment a gunman opened fire on a house through a window in a ‘terrifying’ daylight shooting that left a 60-year-old father dead.
Shots were fired through blinds into the terraced house in Stanley, County Durham, on Saturday afternoon before cries of ‘they killed my dad’ could be heard.
A video, which has circulated on local WhatsApp groups and social media platforms, shows two people approach the property on Elm Street at 5.17pm.
One of them appears to break a window while the other pulls out a gun, and a shot is then heard as it is fired, before two people run off and cries of panic are heard.
Durham Constabulary officers confirmed they were called to the property at about 5.20pm after reports of a ‘disturbance’, where a man was found to have been shot.
Despite the efforts of paramedics, the 60-year-old man – named locally as Barry Dawson, also known as ‘Buck’ – was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives later confirmed they had arrested a 37-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and taken into police custody.
Danielle Scott, who lives a few doors away from the shooting, said that the incident was ‘terrifying’. She added: ‘I live on my own with my two-year-old daughter and I walk past that house on a daily basis to take my daughter to the park.
‘I normally take her out around that time (of the shooting) as well. I don’t know if whoever has done it has been caught, that’s even more scary.
‘I don’t know if it was a random attack. It’s just terrifying not knowing what’s going on. I never thought I would experience anything like this. I want to move out, I don’t want to be here.’
A 35-year-old woman who lives opposite told ChronicleLive: ‘It was really loud. It’s scary to think people can get hold of stuff like that. You wouldn’t think anyone round here would have a gun.’
Another neighbour said of Mr Dawson: ‘He was a really, really lovely guy. He was always ready to help and always had a smile. Everyone knew him, and I don’t think anyone said a bad word about him.’
And a third woman said: ‘I didn’t know who it was at the time then I found out it’s actually a friend of ours. I know him quite well. He’s a painter and decorator on the side and he painted our house.
‘I work in the local club and he gets in there. He’s lovely, he’s really friendly. He would always buy us a drink when he was in the club. He would talk to you outside the club as well. We would chat all the time.
‘It’s devastating. It was a total shock yesterday. He lives there with his son. It’s awful, I’m devastated for the family. It’s just absolutely horrendous.’
Nikki Miller told Tyne Tees News the victim was a friendly face in the street who was well-liked. She said: ‘Everyone knew him, there were no bad words about him. He was a working man and never in any trouble.’
Police said the victim’s family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
Specialist crime scene investigators were examining the scene and officers were carrying out house-to-house inquiries, the force confirmed.
A cordon was in place at the scene, with police taping off the terraced street in the South Moor area of the town and a blue tent erected in the road. Forensic officers in blue overalls were working at the scene and a police drone buzzed overhead.
Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Neil Fuller said: ‘Our officers are carrying out extensive enquiries and I am grateful for the support and co-operation we have received from the community so far.
‘I would urge anyone who has yet to get in touch with us to do so. Please don’t assume we already know. All relevant lines of enquiry will be explored. Our thoughts remain with the man’s family at this time.’
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We received a call at 5.19pm on April 5 to reports of a person injured at a private address in Stanley, County Durham.
‘We dispatched an ambulance crew, our tactical commander, a duty officer, a specialist paramedic, two crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team, and requested support from our colleagues at the Great North Air Ambulance Service who attended by road.’
Anyone with any information is asked to call Durham Constabulary on 101, or 999 in an emergency, quoting incident number 302 of April 5