Northampton shooting reaction: 'Terrified' Far Cotton residents living in fear after 31-year-old man is shot in the head

Northampton residents say they are in “shock” after a 31-year-old man was shot in the head in their community, sparking police to open an attempted murder investigation.

Northamptonshire Police say the victim was shot in the head on Southampton Road, Far Cotton on Saturday (October 15) at 7.20pm. The last update from police, on Sunday (October 16), said the man remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Since the shooting there has been a heavy police presence in Far Cotton while officers, forensic teams, and dog units searched Southampton Road and Euston Road for evidence.

Chronicle and Echo was at the scene on Sunday (October 16) morning and into the afternoon speaking to residents coming and going from their homes in Southampton Road and Euston Road.

Residents described how they do not feel safe walking around the area at night, how the levels of violence have escalated, and how the area has deteriorated over the years. The majority all called for more police patrols.

One mother said: "It's upsetting because you think this is a very calm area with families and schools around, so it's upsetting something like this happens.

"I have a 14-year-old daughter, so when this happened I said 'now you understand why I'm conscious about where you're going, who are you with, what time and everything'.

"I hope police can make more patrols. I know the neighbourhood is not too good.”

Two men outside The Golden Horse pub said they have “never seen anything like this”.

They said: "We've been Cotton boys all our life, we've never seen anything like this. This is terrible. The worst thing we've ever seen is a couple of boys having a punch up. Bullets, guns? This is different, a different level. We weren’t raised like this.

"People in this area are scared. My children go to the corner shop but since this they are not allowed.

"Twenty years ago would you ever see this? No. It's a long, long time I've been here and I've never seen any of this rubbish. Far Cotton definitely has changed, big time.”

A family who has been living in the area for years were left crying over the state of things.

A woman said through tears: "I just feel so sad for the victim. We are all feeling it here. I just feel terrified. I don't like going out at all anymore. Not at all. The world has just gone mad. It's been like this a while but we never expected this at all. It's terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. I just hope this young lad is going to be alright."

She added: "It's horrible. We're frightened to go out after dark. It's been like that for about four years. You're not allowed to live your life. We've had Covid and now we have got all of this. Terrible.

"I'd like to see more policing, a police presence."

One father prayed for the victim and said the community now “needs to be cautious”.

He said: "God help him [the victim]. It's a very nice quiet place. People around here are very friendly. I'm very surprised. Since this incident, I am very much worrying because my family and children are here. Now we need to keep an eye on what's happening around here, we need to be cautious.

"We need more policing around here, they need to be very vigilant here now. These things need to not happen again."

Another mother said she lives in fear and would move if she could afford to rent elsewhere.

She said: "I fear that things are getting to a stage where I don't actually think it's safe to live here anymore, even though it has been my home for over 10 years, and been living in the area 35 years.

"I have noticed a significant rise in criminal activity in recent years and this has topped it off.

"My children keep asking what happened and I try and play the incident down as not to worry them any further.

"I wish I could move but I wouldn't be able to find another property to rent within my budget."

A mother in her 40s said she also does not feel safe in her neighbourhood.

She said: "It's scary isn't it. It's not very nice at all. I don't feel safe around here. My grandson hangs around here and I've told my daughter not to let him because it's dangerous. There's been lots of young lads recently pulling each other up with knives.

"Obviously you feel it when it's at the top of your own street. Stabbings are bad enough, but now guns? It's shocking.

"I would say there needs to be more of a police presence, but they can't do that all the time can they? Unless something happens you don't really see a policeman.

"I hope the victim recovers."

Two students from Southampton living in the area said it “felt like something from a TV show”.

They said: "It's quite a shock. It feels like something out of a TV show. We saw loads of flashing lights, then loads of noises and police sirens. It's quite a big shock to have something like this so close to home, it's literally on our road.

"I don't feel safe around here, as a girl. It's just kind of creepy around here but this has made it a lot more scary. I definitely won't go out alone, I don't think anyone would.

"It's quite shocking. It's England, you don't really think about gun crime that much. It's good the police are taking it seriously."

One father walking with his young family said he is “not too worried about it”.

He said: "I've spoken to people who have lived here a long time, they say this is the first [gun incident]. It's a one off. Hopefully, it will never happen again.

"I've been around this area since I was 16, I'm not scared of walking about at night. There weren't guns back then but it was worse when I was younger.

"This incident, to me, sounds like it's isolated. That's why I'm not too worried about it."

One man in his 20s added: "It's just madness. Hearing about someone getting shot up the road, you don't hear that often do you. Gun crime is unheard of around here."

One father added: "We are worried a little bit. We have small children and we must keep our eyes open."

Witnesses, anyone with information, or anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage of the area at the time, should call Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 376 of 15/10/22. Or call Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.