Three men to be sentenced for murder of Connor Brookes in Walsall
Connor was shot on 8 July last year
Three men will be sentenced next month for the murder of Connor Brookes, who was shot dead in Walsall in what police say was a revenge attack for an earlier killing.
Connor and a friend were sat in a parked van in Well Lane in Walsall just before 5pm on 8 July last year when they were attacked.
A black Ford Focus - which police say was stolen - pulled up alongside them, and, six seconds later, a man in the back of the car fired a shotgun at them.
Connor, who was in the driver’s seat, was killed, while his friend in the passenger seat was hit in the left shoulder. He survived.
The investigation showed that the car was driven by Jake Sanbrook, 23, with Byron Sellick, 20, and Julian Falconer, aged 19, as passengers.
The men were friends of Bailey Atkinson, who was stabbed to death in Walsall in 2023.
Connor's brother, Patrick, was convicted for his murder.
Sanbrook, Sellick and Falconer were all found guilty of the murder of Connor, the attempted murder of his friend and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Another man, Samuel Danks-Petty, 20, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice after helping the killers after the murder.
All were remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced on 30 May.
Connor’s family said:
"Connor was an incredibly kind and caring person, someone who was always there for us.
"His loss at such a young age is devastating, for all of us who loved him. This has been a heart-breaking journey for our family, and it’s a loss we will carry with us forever. This violence has to end before more lives are ruined.”
Senior investigating officer, Det Insp Michelle Cordell, said:
"Connor’s murder has had a devastating impact on all who knew and loved him, especially his family. His friend survived the attack, but I have no doubt that the trauma he experienced that day will live with him for the rest of his life.
“The brutal and cold-hearted actions of this group in broad daylight were intentional, cruel, cowardly and unjustified. We may never know who fired the gun, but the jury’s verdicts show that they were acting with a common purpose that day.
"Nothing can bring Connor back, but I hope that today's verdicts provide some comfort to both families as they try to heal and rebuild their lives."
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