Burngreave shooting: Sheffield 'no longer a safe city' says youth worker after Diamond Hand Car Wash shooting

Sheffield has long held a reputation as one of the safest large cities in the UK compared to others, but it is claimed today that it can no longer hold claim to that.

Anthony Olaseinde, an activist who works with young people and schools to help reduce youth violence, spoke out after a fatal shooting in Burngreave earlier this week.

Mr Olaseinde, who has been instrumental in the installation of weapon amnesty bins on the streets of Sheffield, claims there is too much serious violence on the streets for Sheffield to still be classed as a safe place to live.

Burngreave shooting: Police hunting for killer gunman not linking Sheffield gun attack with any others

Following the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old man at the Diamond Hand Car Wash business on Burngreave Road, Burngreave, on Tuesday evening, Mr Olaseinde has now called on the authorities to do more to protect lives.

“What happened on Tuesday is a terrible thing and my thoughts are with the young man and his family,” he said.

“I do not know why this happened but if I had a message to the young people of this city it would be to value your life, you only get one chance at it and putting yourself at risk is not necessary.”

Mr Olaseinde said too many young people are walking the streets of Sheffield armed.

“Too many young people feel that they have to get involved in gang stuff because of where they are brought up, the colour of their skin, what they think is expected of them,” he said.

“A lot of people carry knives because they are scared and want some form of protection. Whenever a person is stabbed they see it as one more person closer to them, so they then carry a knife and so it goes on.

“But what is being done about this?

“How can Sheffield be classed as a safe place to live anymore?”

He added: “Why is Sheffield waiting for the likes of London and Birmingham to get a grip on this, why can’t it be ahead of the rest to try and combat this… I believe we can.

“Youth violence is getting out of control, every single day someone is being seriously hurt in the city, too many lives are being lost.”

What are the latest crime statistics in Sheffield?

Crime figures published by the Office of National Statistics in November showed an overall five per cent reduction in crime in South Yorkshire compared to the year before.

Sheffield’s District Commander, Chief Superintendent Shelley Hemsley, said: “Our core purpose as a force is to protect the public. We are driving forward a partnership approach to tackling issues around violent crime in our city and continuously work to improve safety across South Yorkshire.

“While we would hope the majority of Sheffield residents do feel safe, we recognise that serious incidents such as gun and knife crime are extremely concerning for local communities. We are as appalled as anyone when violent crimes do occur – both here in our city and in South Yorkshire as a whole – and are working proactively and at pace to tackle these issues.

“As part of our day-to-day activity, our local neighbourhood and proactive teams carry out enforcement activity to remove weapons from our streets, including stop searches and vehicle checks, warrants, proactive knife arch operations and high-visibility patrols in areas known to be affected by knife and gun crime. Through this work, we regularly locate and seize weapons hidden by offenders, make arrests for possession of weapons, and disrupt drug supply networks.”

She added: “Our officers are working with determination and innovation to prevent violent crimes and ensure Sheffield remains a safe place to live, work and visit. When these incidents do happen, we work with compassion and understanding to support victims and their loved ones, and relentlessly pursue perpetrators.

What are police in Sheffield doing to prevent gun crime?

“We are stronger together, and we need to work collaboratively to bring an end to violent crime. I would encourage anyone who has concerns about safety in our city to get in touch. We need people to report information about crimes to us, however minor it may seem.

“Gathering information from local people is crucial in enabling us to identify patterns of offending. If you share information with us, we will work with you and protect you. And if you feel uncomfortable speaking to the police directly, you can report information anonymously to Crimestoppers, either online or over the phone.”

Sheffield has five dedicated neighbourhood policing teams set up to gain a detailed knowledge of the areas they cover and the issues that matter most to those communities.

The force’s armed crime team, launched in 2020, collates intelligence and information about armed crime in Sheffield, looking to address the root cause of street violence and armed crime, map out groups of offenders and piece together the circumstances around each armed incident in order to locate those responsible.

Operation Fortify is a partnership approach to dealing with serious violent crime and organised criminality across South Yorkshire to target, disrupt and prosecute those individuals who participate in or orchestrate violent crime, including stabbings and shootings.

The Violence Reduction Unit, funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, also works in Sheffield to safeguard those at risk of becoming embroiled in violence and to help them find a route out of the dangers they face.

To pass on information, call South Yorkshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.