Gunman opens fire in Birmingham before being arrested

It happened on a shop car park in Small Heath in 2023

Author: Claire EmmsPublished 28th Jan 2025

This is the moment a gunman repeatedly opened fire at a rival on a shop car park – before he was arrested at gunpoint by armed officers.

CCTV shows how Mohammed Islam arrived at the car park on Charles Road in Small Heath in a black VW Passatt, where he confronted his victim at around 7.50pm on 2 September, 2023.

He brandishes a silver handgun as he chases the victim around the car park as others scattered.

Islam fires the gun twice at the victim, missing him. But the victim then trips and Islam fires a final shot, hitting him in the left thigh, before he and the two men he arrived with flee the scene.

Police have launched a major investigation and established that it was a revenge attack, after the victim had threatened Islam with a knife on the same road earlier in the day.

The motive for that remains unclear, but Islam, aged 36, of Imperial Road, was arrested at gunpoint as he travelled in a taxi in Highgate.

He racially abused the officers, and went on to deny the shooting in interview.

But a major investigation involving CCTV, mobile phone analysis and evidence from officers who were able to identify Islam from footage of him being threatened with the knife brought him to justice.

At Birmingham Crown Court, Islam was cleared of attempted murder but found guilty of wounding with intent and racially aggravated public order offences after abusing the officers.

He was jailed for 12 years on Thursday.

Det Insp Matt Marston, from our Major Crime Unit, said: “This was a truly shocking outburst of violence, which has seen multiple shots fired and a man very lucky to have survived.

“Islam clearly wanted to cause his victim really serious harm and this could easily have become a murder investigation.

“We put a huge amount of effort into tackling gun crime in the West Midlands, and people who think it’s acceptable to carry or use weapons should be on notice that we will actively pursue them.”

More than 200 guns were taken off the streets of the West Midlands last year in a major success for Police efforts to tackle serious and organised crime around the region.

Police teams will continue to work 24/7 to target those involved in guns, drugs, money laundering, exploitation.”

The jailing of Islam is another success for Operation Target - a mission to tackle serious and organised crime across the region.

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.

Rayo PremiumRayo Premium

Friday Night Hits with Owen Warner

Hits Radio (Birmingham)