Two arrested over Leeds woodland murder

The pair, aged 41 and 48, were arrested in the Pudsey area last night on suspicion of the murder of Colin Pierre, who was found dead in Gledhow Valley Woods, Chapel Allerton.

Mr Pierre, known to friends as ‘Craig’, died from a single gunshot wound in an incident in a targeted attack at about 2am on Tuesday.

His body was found in a stream near the junction of Gledhow Valley Road and Gledhow Lane by teenagers who were on their way to Roundhay School shortly after 8am.

The arrested men are in custody and enquiries are ongoing.

Police said 31-year-old Mr Pierre, from Gipton, was known to police but had a steady job as a construction worker and was a doting father.

Detective Superintendent Simon Beldon, who is leading the investigation, said: “Colin was a family man who had a six-year-old daughter and worked full time.

“His family are utterly distraught at what has happened to him and want to know why someone would do this.

“No-one deserves to be shot and left to die like this alone in the woods.”

The teenagers, who had been interviewed following the grisly discovery, were receiving counselling, the detective said.

Scene of crime officers were continuing to comb the woods for evidence yesterday as a large cordon remained in place.

Det Supt Beldon ruled out a link to the shooting of a 24-year-old man in Chapeltown on March 5.

He also moved to reassure the public that the incident was not a cause for wider concern.

“Although our enquiries are still at a relatively early stage, it appears that this has been a targeted attack and we don’t believe there is any wider risk to the public,” he said.