Neighbours 'don't feel safe anymore' after man chased and shot with BB gun

People in Newton Heath say they no longer feel safe after a man was shot with what police suspect to be a BB gun following a bike chase. High-speed pursuits, some say, are 'everyday' occurrences around Briscoe Lane North, where officers attended just before 8pm last night (Thursday).

“I didn’t see or hear anything, but it really upsets me,” one person who lives in supported housing off Millwright Street, just metres from the police cordon, said.

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“This housing is supposed to be for people of a certain age. It’s unbelievable, the things that go on here. There are a lot of incidents. The things you see around here are unbelievable. “I used to live in Moston and I never saw anything like this."

Greater Manchester Police said officers were called to reports of a firearm discharge, with initial enquiries suggesting four 'unknown offenders' approached a person on motorbikes.

Police were on scene speaking to residents on Friday morning. “I don’t feel safe anymore around here,” another woman said. “There are too many things happening.”

Several residents complained of 'young people' causing problems in the area, including climbing on roofs and bike chases. Not everyone was shocked by the incident. One resident said she heard a bang last night, didn’t think anything of it.

“Bikes come down here all the time, zooming past like nobody’s business, really quickly,” she said. Others said seeing police scenes in the area was common.

"We’re in Newton Heath - this is a daily occurrence. It’s rough."

A spokesperson for GMP said: “At around 7.50pm last night (May 19), police were called to a report of a firearm discharge on Briscoe Lane