Arrests after restaurant shooting

Police did not think the incident was gang-related

Two men have been arrested by police after a number of shots were fired at a city centre restaurant in Birmingham.

The incident apparently happened in a private room containing 10 to 15 people at Cafe Lazeez in the upmarket Mailbox shopping centre on Friday, police said.

No-one was hurt in the shooting, which police said was not random. Witnesses spoke of customers fleeing the scene.

The men, aged 25 and 40, were arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

'Cool as cucumbers'

The arrested men were in a vehicle when they were detained shortly after police were called to the incident at about 2145 GMT.

Ch Supt Malcolm Coall, from West Midlands Police, said he did not believe the incident was gang-related.

He said: "The people... seem to know each other and I would appeal for those people to come forward.

"What I do seek to do is say to generally the community who visit Birmingham is it's an extremely safe environment.

My instinct, obviously, was to run out of there Restaurant customer

"I accept this goes in the face of that, but it was isolated, it's within the premises between people who appear to know each other."

One customer, who did not want to be named, told the BBC: "Three or four blokes walked in, and two minutes later at least 10 to 15 shots rang out.

"My instinct, obviously, was to run out of there.

"They walked out. Not only did they walk in cool as cucumbers, they walked out cool as cucumbers.

"But once they were out of the restaurant, they ran like rabbits."

The Mailbox building contains shops, restaurants and apartments

Cafe Lazeez serves Asian cuisine and overlooks the revamped Birmingham canal area, which is popular among weekend revellers.

Another witness, an employee of BBC Birmingham - which is based in the Mailbox - said: "I heard a vibration through the floor.

"I went over to the window which overlooks the restaurant and could see people clambering over each other like ants, trying to get out."

Police, who are studying CCTV footage, appealed to people in the area at the time to come forward.

The scene was still sealed off for forensic work on Saturday morning, but the rest of the Mailbox was operating as normal.

The complex also houses Harvey Nichols, offices and retail outlets as well as restaurants, two hotels and 144 apartments.