Police investigation into "targeted" shooting in Leeds

Armed officers fled to the scene in Beeston after a man rang the police at 11.13pm to say he had been injured in a shooting and was being taken to hospital by friends.

The incident had taken place in Maud Avenue at the back of the King Kebab shop in Tempest Road and police say three men had been sat in a Toyota Yaris when a black BMW, which contained a number of males wearing balaclavas, pulled up and a shotgun was fired twice at the Yaris.

A 21-year-old man had minor injuries that included a pellet wound to the palm of his hand and grazing from flying glass. A 19-year-old man who was also in the car received minor injuries from flying glass. Both were treated at hospital and released.

The BMW was later found abandoned in Barkly Avenue. A scene is currently in place at that location and at the shooting scene in Maud Avenue and where the Yaris was found in Back Burlington Road.

Det Chief Insp Jaz Khan, of West Yorkshire Police’s Firearms Prevent Team, said: “It is only through sheer chance that the injuries the victims received have been minor and it’s clear the consequences could have been much worse.

“We have specialist detectives carrying out extensive enquiries into this incident and would like to hear from anyone who witnessed any aspect of it, from the shooting itself in Maud Avenue to the circumstances of the BMW being left in Barkly Avenue.

"We would also like to hear from anyone with any information that could assist the investigation, particularly if they have any knowledge of the wider circumstances surrounding the incident. We would remind people that the independent charity Crimestoppers can be used as a secure and anonymous way of passing on information.

“We believe this has been a targeted attack but we recognise the understandable concern it will cause in the community. The criminal use of firearms on our streets is something we always treat very seriously and we will do everything we can to identify those responsible and will also take appropriate action to prevent any further incidents."

He added that local policing teams were carrying out increased patrols in the area to reassure the community and distributing leaflets to homes in the area to encourage people to contact us with information. Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 quoting crime number 13170472763 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.