Braintree firearms incident leads to arrest of 16-year-old

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested following a firearms incident in Braintree town centre, Essex. The incident occurred in Market Place at approximately 10:10 pm on Monday, August 31.

Three people were injured and taken to the hospital. Two teenage boys sustained facial injuries that are described as potentially serious but not life-threatening. A third person, a man, was also injured; police stated his injuries are not thought to be serious and he was not connected to the groups involved in the altercation.

Essex Police believe the incident was a targeted attack involving a shotgun that was fired once. Investigators stated that the incident was directed by one specific group toward another and does not pose an ongoing threat to the wider public.

Police are currently searching for four males, aged between their mid-teens and mid-20s, who were seen fleeing the area. Forensics teams remain at several scenes in the town centre as officers work to lift cordons and minimize community disruption.