Cradley shooting: Residents and park users shocked at violent attack
The feeling around a quiet Black Country park was one of shock just days after a violent attack.
Residents living nearby and people visiting Homer Hill Park in Cradley were still taking in what had happened on Friday evening, where 17-year-old Connor Harper, from Rowley Regis, was shot three times in the back while he walked with friends.
The scene of where the shooting happened on Friday, which was covered in police cars and sealed off, seemed quiet on Sunday, with people out walking in the park, playing basketball or visiting the nearby graveyard.
For one resident, who didn't want to be named, the last few days had been unsettling, saying she had heard the full story a day later and was still taking in what had happened.
She said: "From where we are, we can see down the street and we always see groups of youths out there, although they never seem to cause any trouble and just go into the park to play basketball.
"I heard a lot of commotion on Friday and saw about six or seven police cars, plus a van, on the road, which was a shock as there's a lot of elderly people who live around here and we never see anything like this here.
"I've only just heard about the boy as well and I'm just in shock about that as he's so young and it makes me worry as I have young grand-daughters who visit here and I fear for them being caught up in things like this."
For people walking their dogs and playing with their children in the park, it was business as normal, but with a tinge of sadness at the news of Connor Harper's injuries.
One couple, who didn't want to be named, who were out walking their dog, said they'd seen the police on Friday, but were only just hearing about what had happened.
They said: "We saw the police taping off the road on Friday, which is really unusual as you never see anything like that happening around here.
"It's dreadful news to hear about the boy being shot and very scary to hear that it was a shooting.
"Crime does seem to be getting worse as you hear about the incidents on TV and reading the newspaper, but you never expect it to happen on your own doorstep as this is a nice and quiet area."
