DETECTIVES are investigating possible links between a shooting last weekend and the callous murder of a man five months ago, the Examiner understands.

They believe the incident in Birkby on Sunday may be connected to the targeted killing of 28-year-old Jasem Asakerh in Thornton Lodge on April 3.

Officers were called to Norman Road at about 2.30pm on Sunday after shots were fired from a car.

A source told the Examiner they were aimed at people in another car as part of a drugs “turf war.”

No-one was hurt in the incident, which is thought to have been a targeted attack.

The source added: “There may be a connection with the fatal shooting in Thornton Lodge.”

Mr Asakerh, known as ‘Mo,’ was originally from Iran but had been living on Birkby Hall Road in Birkby.

He was shot in the chest by a lone, masked gunman as he sat in the back of an Audi Q7 car on Brook Street in Thornton Lodge in the early hours of April 3.

Two men, aged 21 and 32, were arrested over the incident and remain on bail as police inquiries continue.

It was a crime of stark brutality as a masked gunman shot dead Mr Asakerh.

The dead man was one of five people sitting in a black Audi Q7 in Brook Street shortly after 3am on Friday, April 3, when the gunman struck.

He shot Mr Asakerh in the back of the car and fired one more shot before running away past the former community centre.

The dead man, of Birkby, had a criminal past but police have not been able to confirm why he was targeted.

They released CCTV footage of the Audi travelling around Huddersfield town centre hours before the fatal shooting.

They hope people who saw the car and its occupants may be able to help them pinpoint the final hours of Mr Asakerh’s life.

Kirklees Council leader Mehboob Khan, who is also councillor for Greenhead ward, including Birkby, has called for the co-operation of the community of Birkby following Sunday’s incident.

He said the police had strong leads about who had carried out the shooting.

Clr Khan said: “I have spoken to the police and been assured that, not only do they know the motives behind this incident, but they have a fair amount of evidence about who has committed this crime.

“We want the public to understand that they live in a safe neighbourhood and if anyone has any information relating to this, or any other forms of criminal activity, they should go to the police.

“We also need to encourage the families of the people involved to put pressure on them not to take part in this kind of criminal activity.”

Clr Khan said the shooting was out of character for Birkby.

He added: “Obviously there are always concerns when there are incidents like this in your neighbourhood, but to put it in context, gun crime levels are low in Birkby.

“In fact, we rarely have reports even of anti-social behaviour.

“When something like this happens, residents want reassurance that the police and others will be able to deal with it and I am confident that they are.”

Call Huddersfield CID via 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.