Blackwater shooting: Fourth arrest over murder attempt

Police patrols have been stepped up following the shooting

A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the shooting of a teenager in a residential street.

The victim, 17, remains in a serious condition in hospital having been found with gunshot wounds in Hearsey Gardens in Blackwater, on Saturday.

A 41-year-old man from Farnborough has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

A 40-year-old man and a woman, 34, were held on suspicion of attempted murder.

Officers also arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. The three are all from Blackwater, police said.

The shooting took place at a block of garages

One local resident, who did not wish to be named, said she heard "one bang, then lots of arguing, screaming and shouting, then a further three bangs".

"I knew straight away it was gunshots. Armed police turned up within probably about two minutes."

Ch Insp Matt Reeves appealed for information and said residents could expect to see "a lot of officers" in the town as inquiries continued.

At the Scene - Steve Humphrey, BBC South Today

Hearsey Gardens is a large residential area and the shooting took place beside a block of garages on Saturday afternoon.

A lot of people heard those gunshots.

There are unconfirmed claims locally that the shooting was connected to a fatal car crash last autumn in which a teenager was killed.

Police are saying shootings like these are extremely rare and have stepped up patrols in the area.