A murder probe was launched after a man in his 20s was shot dead, in Leicester Street, Wolverhampton
Police at the scene in Whitmore Reans
City residents living near the scene of a fatal shooting said they were ‘not surprised’ such a brutal crime had taken place, with one branding the area ‘a bag of s***’.
A murder probe was launched after a man in his 20s was shot dead, in Leicester Street, Wolverhampton on Friday, September 19.
Another man, who is in his 30s, was left with life-threatening injuries after shots were fired just after 3.10am.
READ MORE: Murder probe live as man shot dead and second fighting for life
A blue tent was erected at the scene as the police investigation got under way.
West Midlands Police said a number of scenes were being held, with some roads closed as a result.
The hive of police activity didn’t come as a surprise to one 64-year-old man, who wished to remain anonymous.
He told BirminghamLive: “It’s nothing new. I think the area is a bag of s***.
“I’ve been here for 64 years. It never used to be like this.
“We used to have a police station a couple of doors down, there was never any trouble.
“Over the years, it has got worse. I don’t feel safe.”
Another neighbour made similar comments and said: “I’m not surprised, two years ago someone got stabbed in the same area.
“This area is not so good. I was talking to the people who I share a house with, they want to move.
“I didn’t hear anything, I was sleeping on the other side (of the house).
“A guy on the street said there were six shots, ‘Pop, pop, pop’.
“They need to put a soldier (on the street corner). The area is very bad, it’s horrible.”
Navjet Kular grew up in Whitmore Reans and says the area has ‘gone downhill’
Navjet Kular, 63, who now lives in Penn, grew up in the area, and said: “Where the tent is, where the white door is sticking out, that’s where my house used to be.
“I moved out of the area in 1978. Since then I still visit pub around the corner, I still play crown green bowls for them.
“I feel sorry for the deceased’s family. My heartfelt condolences go out to them.
“The area has gone downhill, it’s sad to see. Especially when I grew up here.
“There used to be a paper shop opposite where we lived, we could leave our front door open and go in there.
“Now we can’t do that. That’s how far the area has gone downhill.”
Police have urged anyone who can help the investigation to get in touch by calling 101, quoting log 358 of 19 September.