Barry Dawson, a 60-year-old factory worker described as a “thoroughly decent man,” was tragically gunned down in his home in Stanley, County Durham, in what friends and neighbours are calling a case of mistaken identity.
The horrifying moment was captured on a neighbour’s security camera and reportedly includes Mr Dawson’s final cries for help and his son’s heartbreaking shouts: “They shot my dad.” The gunmen smashed the window of his terraced house on Elm Street in the South Moor area before firing a fatal shot inside in broad daylight.
Friends of Mr Dawson have expressed disbelief and anger, claiming the attackers “shot him dead without having a clue who they were shooting.”
“They’ve killed a good bloke who never did a thing to deserve it,” one friend told local media. “The thought of it has left me sick to my stomach, especially after seeing the video of what happened.”
Police have arrested a 37-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. The motive for the killing remains under investigation.
Detective Superintendent Neil Fuller of Durham Constabulary said: “Our officers are carrying out extensive enquiries and I am grateful for the support and co-operation we have received from the community so far.”
The case has rocked the small County Durham town, where such violent incidents are rare. The senseless loss of life has also prompted renewed conversations about safety and gun crime in the UK.
In a separate case overseas, the Colombian authorities have launched a high-profile investigation following the murder of UK-based Italian scientist Alessandro Coatti, who was found dead in Santa Marta. A reward of 50 million pesos has been offered for information, though there is currently no confirmed link to local paramilitary groups.
Both tragedies have sparked urgent investigations, as authorities in the UK and Colombia seek answers and justice for two innocent lives lost in deeply disturbing circumstances.
Anyone with information about the Stanley shooting is urged to contact Durham Police via 101, quoting incident number 247 of 6 April, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
