A man and a teenager have been charged after the shooting of a 15-year-old boy riding on the back of a motorcycle.
The boy was left with a “serious head wound” in the attack on Hewitt Avenue, Sunderland on Wednesday evening.
Steven Thompson, 39, from the same street, has been charged with attempted murder, two firearms offences and perverting the course of justice. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with possessing a firearm and perverting the course of justice. He lives in the Sunderland area but cannot be identified because of his age.
Both have been remanded in custody to appear before South Tyneside Magistrates Court later. Northumbria Police said officers had not yet found any weapon.
The 15-year-old remains in a critical condition in Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary. The driver of the motorbike was not injured.
Residents said a small group of children played on motorbikes locally but were well-behaved and moved on if asked. Brogan Connify, 21, said it had been a “massive shock”. After the incident at about 20:40 BST, police cordoned off Hewitt Avenue, a street of semi-detached homes, while inquiries and forensic investigation took place.