Detectives investigating the shooting of a North-East pensioner have arrested three men in a series of raids across the North-East.
The arrests were made just a day after the funeral of Fred Fowler, the 72-year-old who was shot last month as he sat enjoying a quiet Sunday evening pint in his local - the Tap and Barrel in the Hendon area of Sunderland.
Mr Fowler, a charity fund raiser and father of one, was killed in the shooting and a second man, 19-year-old Michael Nixon, suffered gun shot wounds.
Overnight, two men were arrested in connection with the murder. A 46-year-old from the Billingham area of Teesside was arrested in Durham City last night and several hours later, at around midnight, a 19-year-old was arrested in Hartlepool.
Both are currently in custody and are helping police with their enquiries.
A third man, a 40-year-old from the Durham area, has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Robert Fox, a 36-year-old from the Red House area of the city, was previously charged with murder as well as grievous bodily harm in respect of Mr Nixon.
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