2 SHOOTINGS IN 2 HOURS – TAXI DRIVER LEFT INJURED
INNOCENT CABBIE SHOT AS GUN CRIME SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL
A TAXI driver was injured after a gunman blasted at his car in a ‘targeted’ attack on his passengers – the first of two shootings in two hours.
The victim – an innocent man caught up in the spiralling gun crime across Huddersfield – suffered non-life threatening injuries after the gunman opened fire in Holays in Dalton just after 8.50pm on Thursday.
Armed officers then swooped on the area and carried out a search of a house in Crossfields.
A 22-year-old man has been arrested and is currently being quizzed.
Yesterday afternoon another man was arrested after police swooped on a house on Brownroyd Avenue in Rawthorpe.
Residents reported hearing three gunshots before the taxi sped off with a door open. They said there were four or five men in another car who carried out the attack.
One woman, who does not want to be named, said a white taxi was parked next to a road hump and green fields when it was targeted.
She said: “My daughter said it looked like a gun had been fired at the taxi and the windscreen was shattered. The taxi driver drove off with his door wide open. We don’t know what happened to him – if he has been injured or even if he has reported it to the police. There were four or five men there and they then drove off in a car. It all happened so fast. ”
She revealed that shortly after 9pm a silver car was seen cruising down Harpe Inge with a balaclava-clad man at the wheel.
“I don’t know if the two incidents are linked,” said the woman. “It certainly looked like he was looking for someone.”
That area of Harpe Inge was not cordoned off.
Just an hour later shots were fired about three miles away in Deighton.
In that incident shots were fired at a car in New House Road. Officers have now recovered a VW Golf that was hit by bullets and said it is believed the gunmen were on foot and fled onto Belle Vue Crescent before possibly jumping into a car.
Residents in Deighton said armed police swarmed the area after the shots were fired.
The two shootings come in a week of firearms incidents. On Saturday shots were fired in Rawthorpe and on Sunday a door was damaged in a shooting in Fixby.
Armed police were also called to an incident on Riddings Road in Deighton on Monday night where a car was seen driving into another and neighbours reported hearing of a gunshot noise.
Police have said there is no evidence a gun was fired in the incident on Riddings Road.
Huddersfield’s most senior police officer has now said investigating gun crime is their number one priority.
Chief Superintendent Steve Cotter, District Commander of Kirklees District Police, said specialist officers, including the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are carrying out a number
of proactive enquiries and disruption operations against those involved in gun and drug crime, with more to follow.
He said: “We fully recognise the public’s concerns regarding recent firearms incidents in the area and I want to reassure communities that police are taking them exceptionally seriously.
“Investigating recent firearms offences is my absolute number one priority as District Commander and our detectives are working closely with specialist officers to bring those involved to justice.
“Residents will continue to see increased armed patrols in Huddersfield and continued proactive disruption tactics against those suspected of involvement in gun and drugs crime.
“I wish to stress that we do believe the overwhelming majority of these incidents are being targeted by individuals involved in criminal activity against each other, and we are determined to being these offenders to justice.
“Currently we have a situation where a small number of people are causing a hugely disproportionate amount of serious crime in our communities and we will not allow this to continue.”
Detective Chief Inspector Jaz Khan of the Firearms Prevent Team, added: “We are appealing for information about both incidents and I also want to reassure residents that tackling recent firearms discharges in Kirklees is the top priority of the force’s Firearms Prevent Team, with support from HMET.
“Both incidents could very easily have resulted in loss of life and those involved in this sort of offending should not be under any doubt as to how seriously we are treating it.
“We would very much like to speak to anyone who saw either incident or suspicious behaviour just prior to them, in the streets where they took place.
“Following enquiries we believe the suspects
“I wish to stress that we do believe the overwhelming majority of these incidents are being targeted by individuals involved in criminal activity against each other, and we are determined to being these offenders to justice.” Chief Supt Steve Cotter
for the New House Road shooting were on foot and I would like to speak with anyone who saw men fleeing the scene on foot onto Belle Vue Crescent, and who may have seen these men getting into a vehicle.
“I would also like to speak with anyone who has CCTV footage of either firearms discharge
“Reports can be made to the Firearms Prevent Team on 101. I also wish to stress that anyone who has information about these offences can make reports in complete anonymity to the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.”