A shattering sound echoed through the streets of Greater Manchester in the middle of the night.
Residents were surprised to see the fireworks, mistaking them for fireworks and peering out of their windows. Some people panicked when they realized they had been shot, but others simply went back to bed.
The shocking 1am attack on a house on Prince Edward Avenue in the Clarksfield area of Oldham was livestreamed on Snapchat last week, with footage showing a man firing at least six shots through a window. It was reflected.
Defiant locals say the horrific incident has no place in our streets, but a spate of gun-related crime in Oldham comes as the area's culture of drug and gang violence grows increasingly out of control. I am concerned that this may be the case.
This comes amid growing concern over firearms crime in the UK, which has increased by 9% year-on-year nationally. He has come under intense scrutiny following his tragic death.
Nadeem Iqbal, 45, a ward councilor and father of four, lives on Prince Edward Avenue and went out after the attack to check on his family.
He said: “It was a shocking moment. We immediately left the house when we heard gunshots and noticed people running around screaming.
“We checked on the family and they were okay, but luckily they didn’t respond when we opened the door.
“The only saving grace this time is that it was a targeted and isolated incident. This is not normal on this street.
“But the police did a good job and responded quickly. There were families and children on the streets and many were shaken and scared.
“There have been several incidents of gun crime in Oldham in recent weeks and we need to crack down on this.
“We don't know what's behind this, but the presence of guns in your area is 100 percent concerning.”
Two men and a woman, both in their 30s, were subsequently arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear. No injuries were reported.
A 36-year-old man has been charged with possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence or riot.
Another man and woman in their 30s who were arrested in connection with the incident were also released on bail.
A 59-year-old man who lives on the street said: “I heard a bang around 1:15am and thought it was fireworks, but then I realized it was gunshots. I didn't wake up, I just went back to sleep.'' I wasn't scared at all. I don't get scared that easily.
But one mother, who did not want to be named for fear of repercussions, has a different view.
she said: “I'm completely distraught. This is not what you expect on your doorstep.
“It’s very scary to think that people are coming onto our streets with weapons.
“People don't seem to understand what's going on here and how innocent people can be caught up in gun crime. Look at the shooting of a nine-year-old girl in her home in Liverpool. please.”
crime hotspot
Last year, Oldham was singled out as one of Britain's crime hotspots in a landmark report advising the government on a leveling strategy.
The 2022 report estimates that there are 176 organized crime groups (OCGs) operating across Greater Manchester, with almost a quarter of identified gangs owning firearms. Drugs are said to remain the “main crime type” for the majority of gangs.
Of the 176 organized crime groups, 55 active organized crime groups are said to be 'influencing the City of Manchester', representing 31 per cent of all known OCGs in the county .
Oldham and Salford have the second highest number of organized crime groups, with 19 and 18 respectively.
The extent of these criminal networks was revealed in a crackdown late last year that saw a Manchester gang jailed for supplying multi-million pound drug rings across the North West.
A police investigation has revealed how Oldham man James Mulligan ran a criminal empire dealing class A drugs, including heroin, with the help of Sheila Mason, a woman he called “Grandma”.
Mason, who pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the OCG and was given a community order, owned a “stash house” in Droylsden.
Inside, police found ammunition and drug paraphernalia containing residue of substances such as cocaine and levamisole, which is used to treat parasites in animals.
Greater Manchester Police discovered another facility was being used as a full-fledged Breaking Bad-style drug lab by a gang “capable of producing hundreds of kilos of amphetamines a month”. They seized personal protective equipment in the living room, including full protective clothing and protective gloves.
The scary thing is that people think this life is normal.
frank greenwood
Mulligan was sentenced to 11 years and seven months in prison. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and conspiracy to possess a firearm, but was acquitted of conspiracy to possess ammunition.
Detective Inspector Justin Bryant, of the GMP Serious Organized Crime Group, said: “This has been a very complex investigation, starting with eight suspects but quickly progressing to tracking 13 members of the OCG and a large supply of drugs and weapons. “We have uncovered an extensive criminal network involved in this.” , two deals fueling blackmail and exploitation in Manchester and across the UK.
“This gang thought they were untouchable and only cared about lining their own pockets. It contributes to severe violence and poverty.”
obvious at a glance
For residents living off Prince Edward Avenue, Oldham's drug trade is under the radar.
Maureen Hughes, 81, said: “There's a drug problem on this estate. They had to put up a fence in the pothole at the end of my road because cars drive there and do dangerous business. did not.
“I just saw a man sitting on a bench in the cemetery, and people flocked to him. That's the way of life now.”
Such disorder is a way of life in Coldhurst, which is known as one of the most deprived areas of the city.
Chelsea Gardner, 33, a mother of two, said:
“Yes, it's chaotic and noisy around here, but that's what I like. When I'm lying in bed at night, I hear arguments and arguments, but I'm used to that.
Frank Greenwood, 73, said: “I don't think it's particularly scary here, but what's scary is that people think this life is normal.''
“All day long, kids see dealers come in on motorcycles, park their cars, do business with someone and then drive off, and they see people walking down the street smoking motorcycles. .
“It used to be hidden behind closed doors because the police were worried. Not anymore.
“Kids today don't know that life isn't supposed to be like this.”
There have been several incidents of gun crime in Oldham in recent weeks and this needs to be clamped down.
Nadeem Iqbal
He added: “Oldham is a dumping ground. It's a lost-and-found dumping ground, and it seems to be a hub for HMOs (multiple occupancy housing), which has its own problems.
“Successive councils in this town have stripped it all down over the years. In the 70s it was known as a country town and was very beautiful.”
Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw's hometown is made up of a large Bangladeshi and Pakistani community. They first came to Britain in his 1960s to work in the town's thriving textile industry, which was once the world's largest cotton producer. .
But the end of their proud industrial history (the last textile mill closed in 1998) took a heavy toll on them.
A leveling report by think tank Onward named Oldham as a “hotspot” for crime, with rates well above the 2021 national average of 85.5 crimes per 1,000 people.
During the same period, the town recorded 123 crimes per 1,000 people and 29,699 crimes.
Nationally, crimes involving firearms (excluding Devon and Cornwall Police) rose by 9% between December 2022 and December 2023, rising from 5,850 to 6,367, according to the Office for National Statistics.
lawless england
Knife and gun crime, robbery and theft are all on the rise in lawless Britain.
And the shoplifting epidemic is at its worst in 20 years.
Statistics show that around 1,200 store thefts are reported every day, an increase of one third in a year.
There were 430,104 shoplifting incidents reported last year, up from 315,040 in 2022 and the highest since records began in 2003.
The Office for National Statistics' annual crime statistics show thefts rose by 18% to 125,563 and robberies rose by 13% to 81,094.
Gun crimes increased by 9% to 6,367, and knife crimes increased by 7% to 49,489.
However, the murder rate decreased by 6% from 616 to 577 in 2022.
Sergeant Georgia Mansfield, from GMP's Oldham area, said extra patrols had been carried out following the incident on Prince Edward Avenue.
She told The Sun: “Our neighborhood teams take all reports of crime very seriously and will do everything they can to make arrests, secure prosecutions and bring crime to a positive outcome. I intend on doing it.”
“Within the area of Coldhurst and Clarksfield, we have a dedicated neighborhood team of both certified police officers and PCSOs who provide the vital work of gathering intelligence and tackling all types of crime within the area. Masu.
“We know that recent firearms-related incidents are very worrying, but thankfully these special types of incidents are rare and our officers are quick to make arrests and prosecute. I was able to.”
Oldham Council declined to comment when contacted by The Sun.