Moss Side murders have ‘devastated’ community

The murders of two men shot dead at an outdoor lockdown party in Manchester have created “a new layer of devastation” for their community.

Local figures have united in an appeal after a 36-year-old-man and a 21-year-old man both died in hospital after reports of gunfire near Caythorpe Street, Moss Side, at about 12.55am on Sunday.

The shootings took place at what the police termed was a “spontaneous gathering” which followed a separate organised community event in Moss Side that ended between 7pm and 8pm.

Local youth worker Akemia Minott said the Moss Side community “has been through so much in recent years and these murders have created a new layer of devastation for us all”.

She called on anyone with any information to come forward to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and called for more support for the community.

She added: “Despite the collective grief we have experienced, the necessary systems to deal with our trauma are still not in place and we are building this infrastructure for community healing ourselves, but we need support to ensure it’s sustainable.”

Councillor Mahadi Hussein Sharif Mahamed said the incident was “not a true representation of what our Moss Side is all about”.

In a statement released through GMP, he also called on anybody who knows anything to contact authorities, and added: “Moss Side has come a long way and has overcome the challenges of the past.

“We have done this by coming together and showing our resilience. We need to do the same now.”

Chief Inspector John Harris paid tribute to local people “united in their shock and sadness” and reiterated the call for information and said: “The victims’ families deserve to see the offenders brought to justice and we need the help of the community to trace those individuals who are responsible.”