Nightclub shut down after shooting

A nightclub is to shut indefinitely after gunmen opened fire in one of three shootings across the West Midlands.

Armed men walked into the entrance of Cascade in West Bromwich early on Saturday morning before firing a number of shots and fleeing.

The High Street nightclub, which goes by the full name of Cascade Bingo and Social Club, was cordoned off by police as they searched for clues.

It was one of three shootings in a period of around 12 hours on Friday and Saturday.

A man was shot in Bilston and a second was shot in the stomach in Birmingham in a weekend of gun violence.

The three shootings are not thought to be linked.

Insp Gill Munslow, of West Bromwich Police, said the investigation into the Cascade shooting was continuing today.

She said: "They will not be reopening until we say they can.

"Fortunately we can confirm that no-one was injured during the shooting."

Meanwhile, investigations were continuing after a man was shot in Bilston High Street early on Saturday morning.

The 40-year-old was injured when he was blasted in the leg at around 2.40am.

He was taken to New Cross Hospital but is believed to have been discharged over the weekend.

Shoppers and traders were turned away after the High Street was shut off for hours. Specially trained officers searched the scene, near the junction of Stonefield Road, but no gun has yet been recovered.

Det Insp Mark Payne, of Wednesfield CID, said today: "This appears to be an isolated incident and we're still making inquiries."

Police are also probing the shooting of a 28-year-old man who was shot in the stomach in Newtown, Birmingham, at around 3.30pm on Friday.

Figures released to the Express & Star last year suggested gun crime was up in the West Midlands, with gangs and criminals more willing to use their weapons.

Police documents obtained by the Express & Star under the Freedom of Information Act revealed there were 78 cases of gun crime in the West Midlands which resulted in injury in 2006/07.

They included city Pc Geoff King, who was nearly killed when a gunman he had chased over Wolverhampton's Penn Road shot him twice.

There were 95 firearms offences in the west of Wolverhampton in 2002/3, but that figure rose to 107 in 2006/07.

A number of gunmen have been taken off the streets in recent years. Last year, six men were jailed over an afternoon of gun and knife violence in Wolverhampton city centre. Two men opened fire and another man was stabbed in the Temple Street area, near to Netto.

Anyone with information should contact West Midlands Police on 0845 113 5000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.