Father of shot man asks for calm

Meshack Tesfa Bernard-Brown wanted to be a football coach

The family of a young man shot dead in a possible revenge attack have pleaded for the attacks to stop.

Meshack Tesfa Bernard-Brown was shot in Newtown, Birmingham, on his 20th birthday, on Monday evening. A 25-year-old man has been arrested.

Earlier, two Asian men had been stabbed in nearby Lozells. Police believe the incidents are linked.

On Wednesday, Meshack's father Andrew Brown said the callous acts of revenge and violence had to stop.

It would appear what we are dealing with is people who have sought to take matters into their own hands Det Supt Mick Treble

He said: "My son has been killed... and this callous act of revenge, this lynch mobbing, whatever, has got to stop.

"I'm imploring to anyone out there now, I don't want any retributions, no-one thinking they can look for revenge for my son's death.

"He's an innocent victim of these stupid, stupid, stupid people who think they can take matters into their own hands.

"All I want now for my son is justice, nothing else."

Meshack, an aspiring football coach, was shot in Melbourne Avenue.

His death is being investigated alongside two incidents in Lime Grove and Archibald Road earlier in the evening, where an 18-year-old was stabbed in the groin and a 22-year-old slashed on the leg by what was thought to be a machete.

Incidents linked

Det Supt Mick Treble of West Midlands Police said there was no doubt in his mind the incidents were linked.

"It would appear what we are dealing with is people who have sought to take matters into their own hands to find out who was responsible for the wounding that happened earlier.

"A group of individuals that have gone to the Melbourne Avenue area, have found someone and this is possible a case of mistaken identify."

There was no evidence to link Meshack to the stabbing incidents he said.

The 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Further arrests are expected.

Investigations are also continuing into an incident in Wheeler Street in Newtown where shots were fired at a house on Tuesday night.