'It's by luck that people weren't killed' - Gunman who shot mourners at wake for slain teen is jailed for life
A gunman has been jailed for a minimum life term for shooting at a crowd of mourners at a wake for a young Birmingham stabbing victim.
Meshaq Berryman was sentenced as West Midlands Police revealed that the number of shootings in the region fell last year from 126 to 92.
Berryman opened fire from a passing car at a gathering being held in memory of schoolboy Akeem Bailey, aged 17, who was stabbed to death in Ladywood, Birmingham, in October 2022.
Mourners had gathered at St Mary’s Church Hall in Hamstead Road in Handsworth on the evening of February 24, 2023, when four shots were fired from inside a stolen Nissan Qashqai at about 6pm.
Those hurt were two men, both aged 19, who were shot in the chest and left foot respectively. A man, aged 18, was shot in the right knee, while a girl, aged 14, was hurt when she was knocked to the ground and trampled as people fled in terror.
Meshaq Berryman was subsequently identified as the gunman who opened fire from a rear passenger seat of the vehicle which was driven away at speed. It was discovered abandoned two miles away in Little Francis Grove in Nechells the following day.
After a trial at Birmingham Crown Court Berryman was found guilty of three charges of attempted murder. He had also admitted possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and cannabis, after more than 40 wraps of drugs, along with digital scales, were found at his home.
For the offences on Thursday he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years.
Detective Inspector Francis Nock, of West Midlands Police's Major Crime Team, said: “This was a targeted shooting at a gathering of people who had come to pay their respects to a young man who had himself lost his life to violent crime. While the young man who died did not have connections to gangs, Berryman believed there would be people linked to gangs at his wake.
“This could easily have been a triple murder investigation and it’s by luck really that people weren’t killed on that evening.
“We put a huge number of officers into the investigation, to ensure we had a really clear picture of what had happened. CCTV, mobile phone and forensic evidence placed Berryman in the car at the time that the shots were fired and he is now facing many years behind bars.
“Gun crime causes absolute misery to the families of those who are injured or killed, and can spread fear among residents whose neighbour hoods are impacted. Our Major Crime Teams work with local officers to build a clear picture of who is involved in gun crime in an area and take decisive action to get them off the streets and put them behind bars.”
Akeem Bailey was stabbed in the neck in Springfield Street in Ladywood on October 30 and died in hospital five days later.
Zechariah Nelson, aged18, of McGregor Close, Aston, who struck the fatal blow was convicted of manslaughter, wounding and possession of a blade. He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 11 years and 109 days in 2023.
