Action urged on gun crime after family home damaged in 'targeted' shooting incident

Two teenage girls were among members of the family who escaped injury when at least two shotgun blasts were fired into the front door of their home, in Fagley Road, Fagley, in a targeted attack.

Detectives reassured local residents that they were safe, but one said he planned to sell up and leave the area following the incident.

The attack happened at around 10.15pm on Tuesday, when a car, possibly a Vauxhall Astra, pulled up outside the large Yorkshire stone-built semi-detached house, a suspect jumped out and fired what is believed to be two shots at the house, before the car made off.

A number of family members, male and female and from teenagers to a middle-aged woman, were inside the house at the time, but none was hurt.

Detective Inspector Paul Conroy, of West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, which is investigating the shooting, said the motive for the shooting was being investigated, but it was believed to have been a targeted attack.

He said: "It is a frightening experience for any family that is subjected to this kind of incident, and the people in the house are very distressed by what has taken place.

"We want to reassure the public that they are safe. There will be an increased presence in the area from local policing teams to reassure them."

He said officers were speaking to people at the house to try and establish a motive for the attack.

He confirmed a shotgun had been used but no weapon has been recovered.

Det Insp Conroy added: "We have carried out a forensic examination of the scene and items have been recovered."

He urged anyone who had seen anything suspicious in the area, which is near to the junction with Moorside Road, between 9pm and 10.30pm to contact them on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

The road remained sealed off in both directions by a police cordon, 50 yards either side of the house, and officers in high visibility jackets guarded both ends of the cordon.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said he now planned to move away from the area with his family.

He said: "I feel terrible. It's not a nice thing to happen. There are a lot of good, hard-working people living here in this community. We have never had anything like this happen. It's a quiet area and it's not the sort of incident you expect to happen here.

"I have decided to put the house up for sale and move somewhere quieter. My children are growing up and I don't want them living in a place where shootings happen and the police are around."

The man said he was indoors on Tuesday night when he heard a bang.

"There was a storm, and I thought it was just thunder. But minutes later the police arrived and I realised it wasn't anything to do with the storm."

He said a divorced mother and her five children, three sons in their 20s and two teenage daughters, lived at the house.

Local councillors expressed their concerns about the shooting.

Coun Geoff Reid (Eccleshill, Liberal Democrat) said in recent weeks there had been a spate of burglaries in the area.

But he added: "It is a cause for concern when the crimes escalate from burglaries to violence of this sort. When it is a crime of violence where a weapon is discharged it is very worrying and a cause for serious concern.

"This area of Fagley is normally relatively quiet. I wouldn't expect guns to be an issue there.

"I look forward to talking to the police about it, but I would say to residents to keep it in context. This is not something we are used to in this part of Fagley. We need to ensure we give every help to police so that this is dealt with properly.

"It is sad that responsible people in the area come to the conclusion that they have to move away.

"Any evidence that members of the public can give about this they should do so the sooner the better."

Coun Ann Wallace (Eccleshill, Liberal Democrat) said she was "very, very concerned" about the shooting.

She said: "Gun crime is a big problem but we wouldn't expect gunshots on a residential street like that. Somebody has gone out with a purpose and that is concerning. If they shoot at a door, there may be somebody behind it, anybody could have been hit.

"If someone has seen anyone with a gun they should ring police immediately on 999. It needs to be sorted. Fagley is a good area and does not need that kind of thing."