Probe as man dies in pub shooting (From Haringey Independent)

Probe as man dies in pub shooting

7:12am Saturday 26th May 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

A man has died and three others were wounded after a shooting in a pub, police said.

The victim, believed to be in his early 20s, was gunned down after an armed assailant burst into the Cotton Tree pub in Market Street, Droylsden, Greater Manchester, shortly before 11.50pm on Friday.

The three people wounded have been taken to hospital, where their condition is not thought to be life-threatening, Greater Manchester Police said.

The man who was killed was 23, police said. Two men, aged 25 and 26, were shot in the leg and a 29-year-old man was shot in his lower back.

They are in hospital but their injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

The gunman, who was wearing a balaclava, escaped in a Ford Focus, found abandoned and alight on Ellison Close, Hattersley, a short time later.

Extra officers are on patrol in the area and a murder investigation has been launched.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: "A young man has been killed in tragic circumstances and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.

"Three others were also seriously injured and I want to reassure the public that we will commit the full resources of our major incident team to investigate this incident.

"We are in the very early stages of this inquiry so to speculate on a motive would not be helpful to our investigation, the victims and their families or the local community."