A six-year-old boy who died from what is believed to have been a pellet gun injury has been named as Stanley Metcalf.
Humberside Police were called at 4pm on Thursday following reports that a child had been seriously injured in Church Lane, Sproatley.
He was taken to Hulll Royal Infirmary where he later died.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Goulding, who is leading the investigation, said: “Initial indication is this is a pellet gun injury but still we’re investigating the circumstances and the investigation is at an early stage.
“Our thoughts are with his family, who are being supported by specialist officers and we request that they are given privacy at this very difficult time.”
DCI Goulding said the child did not live at the property where he was taken ill and was visiting relatives at the time.
He said other family members were in the house at the time of the incident and officers are “still trying to piece it together and work out what happened”.
Responding to suggestions that the boy had been visiting his great-grandfather, he said: “I can’t comment at this stage of the investigation on that.”
He added that officers are still looking into whether the pellet gun which may have been involved required a licence, and, if so, whether its owner had one, the Press Association reports.
No arrests have yet been made in connection with the incident and officers said they were in touch with the boy’s family.
Stanley’s great-grandmother described him as a “brainy, kind little boy” as she payed an emotional tribute to him.
The 84-year-old, who did not wish to be named, said that doctors at Hull Royal Infirmary “did everything they possibly could” for him, and said her family has been left devastated by his death.
She described Stanley as a “massive football fan”, and said he and his twin sister were “extremely close”.
She added: “His sister absolutely loved him to bits and they would do everything together. I don’t know how you’re supposed to explain things like that to a six-year-old girl.
“I’ve just been in floods of tears ever since it happened, I couldn’t even sleep last night, just thinking about him and how tragic it all is.”