2020 Moss Side shooting

The shooting took place at an afterparty, illegal under COVID-19 lockdown rules.[1] The after party was an unplanned event that followed a Black Lives Matter barbecue that had been earlier held nearby, but was unconnected to this prior event, which peacefully finished at 20:00.[2]

During a night time street party in a car park in Moss Side at the junction of Caythorpe Street, Broadfield Road, and Bowes Street a man opened fire on those attending[3] at about 00:30 BST, causing them to run screaming from the area.[4] Gunshot was reported at a location on Caythorpe Street, with armed police responding to the scene at 01:00. They discovered a party attended by hundreds of people, in violation of COVID-19 lockdown guidelines in the country at the time. The police report that a "community event" had taken place in the area earlier in the day, and the party had been an unplanned after party but still had a DJ. A local resident said the party had begun at around 22:00 the night before, and that Moss Side was a peaceful neighbourhood with infrequent spikes of violent activity.[1][4]

The two fatally wounded men self-presented at an Accident and Emergency department,[1] either shortly before 01:00 (according to the police)[5] or at about 01:30 (according to the Manchester Evening News).[4] Both men, aged 21 and 36,[6] died shortly after arriving at the hospital.[1]

A murder investigation was opened the same day.[7] On 26 June 2020, a 32-year-old Birmingham woman was arrested on suspicion of the murder of the two men.[8] By September she had been released on bail, while a 25-year-old man had been arrested.[9] A month later the police indicated they were looking for another suspect.[10]