Calls for public meeting involving police after two 'petrifying' nighttime incidents in Shipley

CALLS have been made for a public meeting involving police after two “disturbing” incidents on the same night brought fear to residential streets.

A shooting incident in West Royd Drive, Shipley, was followed just hours later by an arson attack that destroyed four vehicles in Haslam Grove, Wrose, Shipley.

Police say they have stepped up patrols in the area, but councillors are now demanding a meeting where residents “can seek their own reassurance” from officers.

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The incidents, which happened just over a mile away from each other have not been linked by police.

Following the shooting incident, which happened at about 10.42pm on Wednesday, five men have been arrested.

One man suffered serious head and leg injuries in the violence.

Armed officers went to the scene and found an abandoned Mitsubishi Shogun in the front garden of a house on West Royd Drive, with damage, which police say was consistent with a shooting.

A witness said the vehicle also crashed into a white maintenance van and a white Suzuki car, both parked up in West Royd Drive, before it crashed into a wooden fence and ended up in the garden.

Shortly afterwards, a 29-year-old man from Shipley arrived at the scene with injuries.

He was taken to hospital suffering from serious head and leg injuries. These are not believed to be life-threatening.

Police said his injuries were not thought to be as a result of the shooting, but he was arrested on suspicion of firearms offences.

A further three men, aged 28, 31 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder following further inquiries.

The four men remained in custody last night and enquiries are continuing, a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said.

A West Royd Drive resident, who did not wish to be named, told the T&A he was getting into a car with his aunt when he saw three four-wheel-drive vehicles speeding up the street.

He said: “I saw one of the vehicles starting to reverse, it started shooting at another vehicle and lost control and went through a garden and hit a wooden fence.

“I didn’t see it happening but came back up the road and saw the vehicle in the garden.

“I heard three gun shots and turned down the radio in my car. I heard quite loud bangs.

“I was a bit shook up and scared by it.”

Police remained at the scene yesterday and cordoned off both West Royd Drive and a section of West Royd Crescent.

Broken glass and other car debris littered the road on West Royd Crescent.

A number of police cars and vans were at the scene, with officers on patrol at either end of the street’s cordon.

Police also placed small yellow cones in the road in West Royd Drive to mark evidence.

Detective Superintendent Pat Twiggs, of the Homicide and Major Enquiries Team, said: “Our enquiries are at an early stage, but we believe this was a targeted attack and there is not thought to be a wider risk to the public.

“We take incidents involving firearms extremely seriously and have increased patrols in the area to reassure residents.”

Meanwhile, four vehicles belonging to the same person were destroyed outside their home in an arson attack just four hours later.

The cars; a red Skoda Fabia, grey Vauxhall Corsa, black Seat Leon and a blue Honda motorbike were all destroyed in the incident. The police also attended the scene.

Two of the vehicles were parked on their owner’s drive, while the other two were on the curb outside their home.

A police officer inside a marked van was parked opposite the house yesterday morning in a surveillance exercise.

Residents spoke of their shock at the arson attack.

One Haslam Grove resident, who did not want to be named, said she saw a bright orange glow from the fire through her first floor bedroom window.

She said: “I heard a bang and another car went up.

“It is a nightmare what is going on here.

“It is petrifying round here now. It is getting scary where we are living.”

Another Haslam Grove, who did not wish to be identified, added: “It was absolutely horrendous It was frightening.

“It woke me up. I thought the whole street was going to be set on fire. It was scary seeing it.

“Everybody was out on the street after it happened. I thought the person’s house was on fire too.

“I have lived here for most of my life, I was born here. I am feeling a bit scared over my safety now.”

Crews from Bradford and Bingley Fire Stations were called to the incident in Haslam Grove at just after 3.30am yesterday.

Watch commander Jonathan Sugden, of Bradford Fire Station, who attended confirmed the incident was a suspected arson and the house was not affected by the blaze.

A police spokesman said its enquiries were continuing.

Both incidents have led to calls for an increased police presence in the town and for organisations to work together on preventative work.

Cllr Vanda Greenwood (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) said: “Naturally residents were alarmed by the goings-on overnight.

“The police have assured us that this is an incident which is isolated and offers no threat to the public.

“However, it’s not the first time, so as ward councillors we are asking for a public meeting with the police so that residents can seek their own reassurance.”

Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “It is very disturbing to hear such occurrences in the area.

“Any gun crime and arson incidents are very serious offences.

“I am concerned about these and I am sure everyone will be concerned about them too.

“This highlights why we need a greater police presence in the area as well.

“They are very serious occurrences which we do not want to see. I hope that the police quickly solve the crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“People will rightly be concerned and hopefully we will see an increased police presence to reassure residents.”

But Cllr Hawarun Hussain (Green, Shipley) has called for better education for youngsters, and not just an increase in policing to help prevent further attacks.

She said: “It’s really shocking to hear of incidents like these in and around Bradford, not just Shipley.

“It is shocking to see that we as a society are on a downward spiral to think that it has become commonplace for shootings and car fires.

“You expect to hear things like these happening elsewhere in larger cities, not small cities like Bradford.

“It is important that we have investment in policing services, but it is much more important than that.

“Policing will deal with the problem, but will only move it away to another area.

“We need to look at the education system and make sure this type of behaviour is not a viable situation for them.

“We need young people to feel a bit more connected to their society and doing constructive things and not being distracted with situations like these.

“Now we have heard about these sort of incidents on our doorstep, we need to ask what can we do to prevent future incidents from happening.”

She added Bradford Council need to continue working with the police and other statutory organisations to increase preventative work.

Meanwhile, councillors in Wrose have called for a public meeting with the police for reassurance following the shooting in the area, which is believed to have been an isolated incident.

Anyone who may have information about the shooting in West Royd Drive is asked to call the Homicide and Major Enquiries Team on 101, quoting log 2063 of August 30.

People who may have any further details about the arson attack in Wrose is urged to call police on the 101, quoting crime reference number 13170401311.

People can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, about both incidents on 0800 555111.