Man released over fatal shooting

Mr Bernard-Brown's father appealed for calm earlier this week

A man arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was shot while celebrating his 20th birthday has been released without charge.

Police said the 25-year-old was arrested after Meshack Bernard-Brown was shot in a possible revenge attack in Newtown, Birmingham, on Monday.

Two people arrested after a gun was fired at two shopkeepers in Lozells on Thursday have been released on bail.

Extra police officers are in the two areas following the incidents.

Stabbed in groin

An 18-year-old woman from Chelmsley Wood and a 22-year-old man from Erdington were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rob after what appeared to be a BB gun pellet gun was fired at the two staff.

Police are keeping an open mind about whether the incident near Nursery Road is connected to the shooting in Melbourne Road, Newtown, on Monday.

Just hours before Mr Bernard-Brown's death, two men were attacked, one with a machete and the other was stabbed in the groin.

West Midlands Police said they are linking those two incidents.

Fingertip searches

On Wednesday, the Mr Bernard-Brown's father, Andrew Brown, appealed for calm and said the callous acts of revenge and violence had to stop.

Det Supt Mick Treble, from the force's major investigations unit, said they want to arrest a number of individuals involved in Mr Bernard-Brown's death.

More than 70 officers are investigating the shooting and house-to-house inquiries and fingertip searches are being carried out in the Newtown area.

"The investigation continues and this is a protracted inquiry and will therefore take some time," he said.

"We are seeking the arrest of a number of individuals who we believe have played different roles in the events on Monday."