Mother appeals for 'no revenge'

Stephon Davidson died from his injuries in a drive-by shooting

The mother of a 19-year-old man killed in a gang-related drive-by shooting has pleaded for no revenge attacks.

Stephon Davidson died on Tuesday after being injured in a drive-by shooting in Monument Road, Ladywood, Birmingham, a month ago.

His mother Maxine Sharp, 41, said that "one life lost is one too many".

It comes as police said a series of fatal shootings and stabbings in Birmingham and Wolverhampton were "tit for tat" killings.

Four young men have been killed in both cities in the past month.

However, Det Ch Supt David Mirfield said gun crime was still "very rare" and Birmingham was no worse than any other major city.

Officers have appealed for information over the death of Mr Davidson, who was injured when shots were fired at a Citroen Saxo on 5 August.

'Brought to justice'

Ms Sharp said: "His family wish to make clear that we do not wish to see any form of revenge.

"One life lost is one too many.

"What we would like to see is those involved in his death brought to justice, brought to court and convicted accordingly."

Senior investigating officer Det Ch Insp Tim Bacon, said the shooting was believed to be gang-related but stressed no aggression had been shown by Mr Davidson or anyone else in the car.

Maxine Sharp said that "one life lost was one too many"

Mr Bacon said Mr Davidson had a number of "friends and associates" who were local gang members but said he was not prepared to speculate on whether he was a gang member himself.

Detectives appealed for information about the silver Toyota Avensis car from which a number of shots were fired.

Mr Bacon said the car, registration number FE03 JXW, had been used in the Birmingham, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas recently.

He appealed for people not to approach the vehicle but to call police if they saw it.

'Sad indictment'

On the subject of the recent attacks Mr Mirfield said: "They spiral out of control and we get tit-for-tat shootings which is the situation we're in now.

"People get injured and people get killed and that's a sad indictment of the society we live in.

"But gun crime is still very rare."

Dimitri Foskin, 24, was shot dead in the Newtown area of Birmingham on 23 August.

On the same night Marlon Morris, 21, was fatally stabbed in Wolverhampton city centre.

A week earlier Mathew Sutherland, 29, was stabbed outside the Q Club on Birmingham's Corporation Street. He later died in hospital.

Two men were arrested in connection with his death on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday after police found a stun gun and a loaded 9mm handgun at an address in Berry Close, Handsworth, Birmingham.

Police have not linked the find to any recent shootings.

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Stephon Davidson was shot in the neck