Man Arrested After Redditch Firearms Incident

Police officers investigating a firearms incident that occurred in Redditch yesterday morning have confirmed that a local man was arrested earlier this evening (8 July).

The arrest comes as part of the investigation into an incident that was reported to police at just before 11.50am on Saturday 7 July.

It appears that an altercation of some sort occurred near to a snack bar on Nailsworth Road - not far from Matalan - and that during the course of the altercation a firearm was discharged.

This resulted in a man in his mid-30s suffering gunshot wounds to his left arm and chest area.

This man was quickly rushed to hospital but thankfully, although his injuries are serious, he is now said to be in a stable condition.

The police officer leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Steve Tonks, said:

"I can confirm that at around 5.15pm this evening a man in his late 20s was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

"This man is now in police custody and will be questioned later tonight.

"It goes without saying that this type of situation is very unusual in Redditch but I would like to reassure local people that it does appear to be an isolated incident and that we believe the two men involved were known to each other.

"Although we have made this arrest we are still keen to speak to anyone who believes they may have information about this incident. Please can I ask anyone who witnessed the events of yesterday morning, or who has information about them, to contact West Mercia Police as soon as possible on 101 or 0300 333 3000.

"Alternatively, please remember that Crimestoppers can also be called anonymously on 0800 555 111 if you'd rather leave information without identifying yourself."

Issued: Sunday 8 July, 2012