New fears as shooting rocks city community

Since then, community leaders from churches, the council and the police have all worked to try and improve the area’s image – but last week a new gun incident sparked concerns on the streets.

Detectives were forced to issue a reassurance to people living in the area that the latest shooting, in which a man suffered serious hand and arm injuries was an isolated, targeted attack.

Det Insp Iain Chorlton, who is investigating the attack, said the shooting “did not appear to be linked to any gang-related activity at this stage” but acknowledged community fears were heightened.

The alarm was raised on Tuesday night after the 22-year-old victim arrived at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital accident and emergency department with what medics recognised as gunshot wounds.

Police closed busy Burngreave Road, one of the main routes into Sheffield from the north for most of the night and forensic examinations were carried out on several surrounding streets which were also closed. By Thursday morning police had arrested a 23-year-old Sheffield man in connection with the incident, and he was in custody over the weekend helping police with their inquiries.

The last teenager to die in the area was 18-year-old Deeq Ali who suffered fatal gunshot wounds at a birthday party in the early hours of Sunday October 30.

His death followed an argument which broke out among Somali youths in Spital Hill, Burngreave. The man accused of killing him, Abdi Omar, is awaiting trial.

Burngreave and Pitsmoor had been the focus of regeneration work as part of the Government’s New Deal project, with £52m being invested in the area over the last 10 years, but that funding has now dried up.

South Yorkshire Police is still appealing for information about the shooting last Tuesday. Call the non-emergency number 101.