Suspected gunman on the run for four years is arrested outside gym
A man who has been on the run for the last four years has been arrested after police spotted him outside a gym.
An armed unit detained the man – sought over a shooting last month as well as importing guns and drugs supply – after he was spotted in a car in Shirley, Birmingham, on Wednesday.
The black BMW was located at Blythe Valley Business Park at around 12.30pm and the 28-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder over the shooting in Agatha's Road in Saltley on September 23. In that incident, a man suffered shotgun wounds to his arm and neck – but was not seriously injured.
But he was also wanted for failing to attend court back in 2017, having been charged on suspicion of importing firearms, supplying Class A drugs and perverting the course of justice.
Another man, the 22-year-old driver, was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. Both men remained in police custody on Thursday.
It is suspected the 28-year-old, from Birmingham, fled the UK to Pakistan having skipped court in 2017 where he lay low to avoid capture.
Sergeant Chris Smith from West Midlands Police's FCID said: “This is a significant arrest. We acted swiftly on receiving intelligence he was at the location and armed officers spotted the car about to leave the car park.
“The suspect tried giving us false details in the hope he could escape but an officer with detailed knowledge of the case was on hand to identify him.
“He’s a man we’ve been after for quite some time, someone linked to serious criminality involving firearms, and it’s great we now have him in custody.”
