Detectives are investigating after gun shots were fired at a young man on a bike in Dalton .
The drama took place outside the Long Lane Convenience Store in Long Lane near the junction of Longfield Avenue at 10.15pm on Thursday.
Today (Friday) detectives appealed for witnesses following the firearms discharge.
They said the 28-year-old victim was on a bike and shots were fired and he suffered a minor injury to his arm.
Armed police quickly arrived on the scene and the busy main road was cordoned off until this afternoon (Friday) as officers carried out a fingertip search of the area.
Det Chief Insp Chris Gibson, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We have been conducting CCTV and house-to-house enquiries since yesterday evening to establish the full circumstances of the incident.
“I would like to appeal to anyone who either witnessed the incident or has any information to come forward and speak to the police to assist with our investigation.”
Abdul Majeed, who works in the shop, told how a man came in to buy some sweets.
He said the man’s friend, who was waiting outside on his bike, was chased down by some men in a VW Golf car.
Abdul said: “Once he had bought sweets and gone outside he found his friend had gone. I heard two shots but initially I thought it was the revving of a car or one misfiring.
“Two to three minutes later a customer who is a neighbour came round and told me: ‘No, what you heard was bullet-fire.’
“At 11pm I closed the shop but later my landlord rang to say the police wanted to see the CCTV. The man on the bike had been chased down by some men in a Golf car.
“Police said they found some shells from a gun being fired.”
Christine Woodburn, who has lived on the street for 40 years, added: “About midnight there were flashing lights which were the police arriving and I woke up this morning to find the the road cordoned off.”
Her husband John, 68, a retired maintenance engineer, said: “I got up and looked out of the curtains and there was an unmarked police car sideways on opposite our bedroom window.
“There was a second unmarked police car at the junction and an armed response vehicle arrived as well as a couple of police officers with large torches searching for evidence on the road.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the police via 101 quoting crime reference 13170560797 or information can be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
