Boy, 8, killed after being shot in head & face ‘while hunting rabbits’ is named as cops issue plea for witnesses

AN EIGHT-year-old boy who was fatally shot in the head and face has been named by police.

Jay Cartmell is reported to have died while hunting rabbits on a farm near Wheatsheaf Farm, close to Warcop in Cumbria.

Officers are continuing to investigate Jay's death and have issued a plea for witnesses to come forward.

Police arrested a man in his 60s nearby on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter - who was later bailed.

Cumbria Constabulary said a firearm was secured by officers at the scene.

The Sun understands the pair were on the land rabbiting.

A source told us: "They had permission to be on the land. There's been an agreement in place for years for them to rabbit there."

One of the local tenants who uses the pasture said they believed that those involved could be members of the traveller community.

They said: "We just rent that land… There's the gypsy fair on Brough Hill, so apparently it's some of them. That's the rumour going around."

Another person added that they didn't know the boy but believed he was from outside of the local area.

They added: "I actually don't know him. I don't think he's from our area. I think it was someone from out of the area, from what I can gather."

The famous Appleby Horse Fair, which attracts around 10,000 travellers each year, is based around six miles from the site of the tragedy.

Another farmer who works on the land also said the child's family is "deeply upset".

"It was a tragic accident," he told The Sun.

"I feel so sorry for the family, our thoughts are with them. It’s deeply upsetting."

It's understood that a farm near to the field where the shooting took place does not have any livestock - and instead rents out its lands for sheep grazing.

However, an MoD firing range is adjacent to the land where the schoolboy was injured.

An MoD spokesperson confirmed it is not involved.

'MOST AWFUL TRAGEDY'

Local Frank Chalmers, 73, said he saw five police cars and an air ambulance at the scene at around 3pm as he drove past to his home in nearby Brough.

He told The Sun: “I was just passing by in the car when I saw the police and an air ambulance.

“It is the most awful tragedy for the family and the community.”

Another witness said: ";We saw two CSI people in white suits in the field, that was after 4pm."

Someone else reported: "The CSI track seemed to be going uphill and bearing to the left through the hedge, with stick markers."

A third shared: "Serious incident near Warcop at or before 3pm with crime scene investigators and the medical rescue helicopter and at least five police vehicles, one in the field."

A Cumbria Police spokesperson said: "Police are investigating following the death of an eight-year-old boy.

"Emergency services were called at around 2.50pm yesterday (28 Sept) to a farm in the Warcop area following a report that a child had been seriously injured by a firearm at the property.

"Police and NWAS attended.

"The firearm was secured at the scene by police and an eight-year-old boy was taken to hospital by air ambulance having suffered serious and life-threatening injuries to his head and face.

"Sadly, the boy has died overnight.

"Officers arrested a man in his 60s at the scene on suspicion of assault GBH.

"He remains in police custody but is now under arrest on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter."