Tighter controls on gun shops demanded after spate of Sheffield shootings follows break-in
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There were four shootings across the city, including three in Sharrow and Nether Edge, in the space of less than 24 hours on Friday, May 8, in which four men were injured
Bullet holes were then found in a parked car and a road sign after a gun was fired in Farish Place, Heeley, on Thursday, May 14.
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Hide AdAll five shootings happened after Hardy's Gunsmiths on Alderson Road in Highfield was raided during the early hours of Friday, April 3.
Nether Edge and Sharrow ward councillor Jim Steinke believes it is no coincidence that the spate of shootings followed the break-in.
“There are a lot of guns around at the moment, and I think one lesson for future lockdowns is that we need to clear gun shops of all weapons and ammunition,” he said.
“This appears to be tit-for-tat between gangs and we need to make sure we never have so many guns in circulation in future because we don’t want this opportunity to arise again.
“I believe we need to have tighter controls on gun shops.”
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Hide AdPolice patrols have been set up, CCTV has been installed and officers have made a number of arrests and seized drugs and at least one firearm following the recent shootings.
Mr Steinke said he was pleased by the response from police and the community, and was confident more arrests would follow as officers continue to appeal for information.
“I’d like to reassure people that these are nice areas which are usually relatively quiet, and hopefully once more arrests are made and firearms are seized things will get back to normal,” he added.
The shootings on May 11 took place on Club Garden Road in Sharrow; Grimesthorpe Road in Burngreave; and Machon Bank and Union Street, both in Nether Edge.