Firearms reportedly shot in Doncaster nearly 50 times in less than a year

Shocking figures today reveal firearms have reportedly been shot nearly 50 times in Doncaster in less than a year.
Aseel Al-Essaie was shot dead.Aseel Al-Essaie was shot dead.
Aseel Al-Essaie was shot dead.

The statistics show weapons including air rifles, explosive firearms and guns were reportedly discharged on 49 occasions in the town between April 2016 and February 8 this year.

One such incident saw a 27-year-old man shot on Schofield Street, Mexborough, in October last year. He escaped serious injury.

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In addition, there were a total of 230 recorded incidents across South Yorkshire in the same period - a rate of about five a week.

These latest figures come after a wave of gun crime in nearby Sheffield that has left one man dead and another fighting for life in hospital. It has sparked concerns about a rising tide of gang violence - amid fears that innocent members of the public are getting caught up in the crossfire.

Dr Alan Billings, police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, said: "I am satisfied that the police are on top of it here as much as they can be but the disturbing thing recently is that guns are being used on the streets and therefore although incidents may be inter-gang issues there is always the possibility that innocent members of the public can be caught up in it."

The statistics were revealed through an Freedom of Information request made to South Yorkshire Police, which showed offences where a firearm is recorded as ''fired - causing injury to a person', 'fired causing property damage' and 'fired - no injury or property damage'.

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Alongside Doncaster's 49 recorded incidents, Sheffield had 95, Barnsley had 44 and Rotherham recorded 42. The figures are slightly down when compared with the previous 12-month period - April 2015 to March 2016 - which saw 245 recorded incidents across South Yorkshire.

Temporary Superintendent Rebecca Chapman, who oversees firearms crime for South Yorkshire Police, said it "remains the case that a significant number of firearms incidents are directly related to organised crime and gang activity" and police have a "number of dedicated operations in place."

But she added: "To put this data into context, the majority of these recorded discharges are those where no discharge was confirmed – this means that there was no ballistic material at the scene to support that a discharge had taken place – or they relate to air weapons being fired, either being used lawfully or on open land."

Aseel Al-Essaie, aged 23, was shot and killed in Upperthorpe, Sheffield, on February 18 - just five days after Cameron Spalding, aged 25, was shot in a separate incident in Shiregreen, Sheffield. He was in a stable condition in hospital last week. There is no suggestion the victims were involved in gang crime activities.

Seven people have been arrested in connection with Mr Al-Essaie's death, and a man was quizzed in connection with Mr Spalding's shooting.

Contact police with information on 101.