A 10-year-old boy was seriously injured and his mother was murdered by her boyfriend, with the young boy being shot in the face and the arm with a shotgun while trying to protect her.

The attacker killed her and then took his own life.

This is according to the police in Sheffield, in the US state of Alabama, regarding the shooting which took place on the evening of Sunday, 5th November.

The 38-year-old mother, named as Ashley Lynn McClung, was murdered by her 40-year-old boyfriend Christopher Narmore, who then killed himself, according to Sheffield Police Chief Ricky Terry.

Terry said that her 10-year-old boy, Cayson McClung, was shot in the face and arm while trying to protect his mother.

The police chief said that Ashley and Narmore got into an argument on Sunday evening that quickly “escalated”.

He is quoted in local media saying: “The boyfriend had a gun and tried to shoot the mother and [Cayson] got into a tussle with the boyfriend.”

The police chief added: “He raised his arm up and that’s when the boyfriend shot the juvenile, then he shot the mother, then he killed himself.”

The police said that Cayson was injured but remained conscious when the police and medics arrived on the scene, allowing him to tell them what had happened.

He has undergone two operations and is now in a stable condition, according to local media.

Police Chief Terry said that doctors at the hospital were able to save his arm and managed to get “a lot of the lead out of his face from the shotgun injury.”

The victim’s sister Tonya Willis paid tribute to Ashley, saying: “Ashley was a loving and devoted mother, attended all of her children’s sporting events and activities.

“She loved fishing, singing, and going to the beach.”