RESIDENTS told of their shock as police stepped up their inquiries into a fatal shooting in Thornton Lodge.

Police are now in their fifth day of investigations into the murder of 28-year-old Iranian born Jasem Asakerth on Brook Street in the early hours of Friday.

Little new information has come to light but a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said patrols would continue to monitor the area to keep the public safe.

The police cordons have now been removed but several bouquets of flowers have been laid near the scene.

One 35-year-old man told the Examiner he hadn’t heard the shots being fired but his whole family had been woken by the police at 5.30am and told to not go outside or speak to anyone.

He said: “It’s definitely a shock, we don’t feel like going out at night time, it feels really unsafe.

“You get these thoughts in your head, what could have happened that day?

“Me and the wife were just shocked that something really serious had happened only 50m down the road.

“I don’t want to go down there, it’s kind of scary, it’s very dark down there, the street lighting’s not good.

“I have lived in Thornton Lodge all my life and this the first time ever that I know of that someone has been murdered.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen the police cordons, apart from on TV.

“It shook me up a bit.”

Another resident who had lived in Thorton Lodge for more than 30 years said she was “disgusted” to have a murder scene on her doorstep.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said she hadn’t heard anything on the night of shooting because she always left her radio on at night to block out the sounds of racing cars.

She said: “A drug addict broke into my neighbour’s house and he had to move out.

“We had a murder and then the community centre was burnt down.

“Why aren’t people proud of where they live?

“I get home at night and lock myself in, I don’t want to know, where’s the peace and love?

“Why should a handful of people kill it?”

The resident also slammed the police and the council for letting the area deteriorate so badly.

She added: “You never know where the next gun is coming from? It will just carry on, same old, same old.”

People walking on Brook Street yesterday claimed it was a no-go area at night.

Several people were unwilling to speak out and no one was willing to be named but one lady said: “It’s not safe, if you go out at night you will get caught and beaten up.”

But one man, who had lived in the community for more than 30 years, said the area wasn’t as bad as people thought.

He added: “There’s a bit of a drug problem but there’s never been a lot of trouble round here.

“It hasn’t gone to hell, they are doing their best to crack it but there should be more patrols at night to deter crime.”

Police know that hours before the shooting, Mr Asakerth – known as Mo – was with four other men, all in their 20s, in an Audi Q7 car, on Brook Street.

A lone gunman fired two shots at the car. Another man, aged 26, suffered cuts and grazes.