Investigations continue after Sheffield councillor’s home blasted with shotgun as part of Easter weekend crime spree

Shots were fired at the home of Coun Mohammad Maroof, who is standing for re-election in the Nether Edge and Sharrow ward, in Edgedale Road, nether Edge, at around 3.20am on Tuesday.

Det Chief Insp Phil Etheridge, crime manager for Sheffield, said the incident was linked to three other serious incidents that took place in the Nether Edge area over the bank holiday weekend.

The first incident took place at 2.35pm on Thursday, April 18, when a 34-year-old man was stabbed in the head on South View Road.

He also had the windows of his vehicle smashed. The man has since been released from hospital.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn revealed that the victim was anti-knife crime campaigner Amar Ilyas who works to stop young people becoming involved in gangs has been stabbed in Sheffield.

Police believe four men, described as being in their 20s, were involved in the attack.

The group are thought to have left the area in an Audi A3, heading towards Montgomery Road, the force added.

A 19-year-old man from Sheffield has been arrested in connection to the incident and remains in custody at this time.

The second incident occurred at around 11.10pm on Monday, April 22, when two men, aged 18 and 26, suffered stab wounds during an altercation on Abbeydale Road.

Then, at around 2.50am on Tuesday, shots were fired at the home of Coun Maroof, causing damage to a window on the front door.

No-one was injured in the incident.

Shortly after, it was reported that windows of a property in South View Road had been smashed.

Det Chief Insp Phil Etheridge, Crime Manager for Sheffield, said: “Firstly, I would like to reassure the local community that extensive enquiries are ongoing in relation to these four incidents, which we are treating as linked.

“We are reviewing CCTV footage of the above areas mentioned, in addition to speaking to witnesses and those victims who will engage with us.

“There will be an increased policing presence in the area throughout the rest of the day and into the evening, with a dedicated patrol plan in place over the coming week.

“We are working hard to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding each incident but we do believe they involve the same offenders.

“I’d encourage anyone with information or concerns to speak to an officer or contact us directly. You can pass information to us on 101 or to Crimestoppers anonymously quoting incident number 84 of April 23, 2019.”

John Mothersole, Sheffield Council’s chief executive, said the shooting at Coun Maroof’s home was not believed to be ‘politically motivated’.

He said: “The alleged firearms incident this morning is clearly an act of criminality and the investigation into this is being dealt with by South Yorkshire Police.

“At this stage, we do not believe there is any political motivation for the incident.”