Police on streets after two days of gun violence
ARMED police swarmed over Huddersfield after two days of gun violence.
Police were called to two streets over the weekend both in neighbourhoods previously blighted by gun crime.
The drama – which saw a man arrested in a swoop outside a hotel – ends a year of violence involving firearms, knives and machetes, with many incidents being targeted or gang-related.
West Yorkshire Police were called to Scott Vale in Deighton on Saturday night after a gunshot was heard, finding damage to a property consistent with a firearm being discharged.
The following afternoon, officers were called to Birkby Hall Road, Birkby, shortly before 3pm after another gunshot was heard. This time, a 24-year-old man took himself to hospital following the shooting, and was treated for a non-life threatening injury to his back.
Three men aged 16, 17 and 19 were arrested in connection with the Birkby shooting.
The string of gun crime follows a host of similar incidents reported by the Examiner last year, the most recent of which was just three weeks ago in Crosland Moor.
Other concerning incidents include a family’s home being shot at in Fartown, a man being shot at on the ground in Birkby which was captured on CCT V, and most notably, a weapon being fired at Huddersfield Carnival earlier this summer.
Police have said repeatedly that all firearms offences are “taken extremely seriously”, and that there is “no place for the criminal use of firearms in Kirklees and across West Yorkshire.”
Several arrests have been made over the course of the year for the numerous shootings and stabbings reported, while one man was jailed for 10 years for his part in a shooting in Almondbury.
In September, a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Examiner revealed that nearly 200 firearms-related incidents had been reported to police in the Kirklees District since 2015, with 79 people injured.
An investigation remains ongoing into the two shootings this weekend, and detectives are continuing to urge anyone with information to contact either them on 101 quoting crime reference 13180651151, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Detective Superintendent Jim Griffiths, of the Major Enquiry Team, said: “Specialist detectives in our Major Enquiry and Firearms Prevent teams are continuing to carry out extensive enquiries into both of these incidents.
“Although our investigations are in their early stages, we are treating them as targeted incidents.
“Thankfully no one was more seriously injured, however undoubtedly the criminal use of firearms will cause concern in the community. We take all firearms discharges extremely seriously and we have increased high visibility patrols in the area to offer reassurance to the public.”