People 'living in fear' after string of violent incidents in the Black Country
People are currently "living in fear" after a string of violent incidents across the Black Country in recent days, a councillor has said.
Councillor William Gill, who represents Great Bridge in Sandwell, said the issue was "getting out of control" after shootings and a brawl in the region.
It started on Saturday in Wolverhampton with a firearm being discharged on Willenhall Road – and a man later turned up at hospital with a leg injury.
Meanwhile, a day later and there was another shooting in the city on Emerson Road, this time at a property which led to a window being damaged.
And now up to 20 people have been seen fighting with knives and bats in Tipton with the group making off before armed officers responded to the scene.
Councillor William Gill, who represents the Great Bridge ward, said: "A couple of people have contacted me about the incident in Tipton to ask about it and because I don't live too far away from it.
"And when it's on your doorstep, it does worry people. What I'm trying to do, in my role as a local councillor, is to make sure people who to contact and where they can access support – through PCSOs and other avenues.
"It's clear more needs to be done about this and people should not be living in fear and that's what they're doing at the moment. You have to be safe in the place you live and people just can't feel safe with weapons – whether it's knives, guns or anything else – out there being used. It's getting out of control, it really is an epidemic."
Councillor Gill said he, alongside others on Sandwell Council, would continue to lobby for something to be done and increased intervention to stop these incidents from happening.
