A drive-by shooting outside a busy Deansgate bar has sparked a police investigation following reports that the gunman escaped on a motorbike.
No-one was injured in the shooting but police, who were called to the scene around 9pm, closed the bar and later the road itself to conduct a full forensic sweep.
A bike was then found burned out on Brotherton Drive in the Trinity area of Salford and police are trying to establish if this is linked.
Chief Inspector Gareth Parkin: “We are still in the early stages of the investigation and it would be wrong to speculate why this took place.
“What we do know is two people riding a motorbike were seen driving along Deansgate and stopping outside the club. The pillion passenger fired shots towards the entrance of the club and then sped off along Deansgate.
“We believe this was a targeted attack, however it is isolated.
“Officers are currently in the process of studying CCTV and are trying to identify who is responsible but we are appealing for witnesses to come forward.”
Investigators allowed the road to be re-opened around 2:15am but continued to carry out searches of the luxury restaurant and bar.
Staff at the adjacent Café Rouge and Las Iguanas were nonplussed at the incident and continued to trade for the rest of the evening, having moved outdoor diners inside.
Crime scene investigators were still on site at The Living Room at 10:30am this morning, but the restaurant will be open as usual for Friday night business.
The incident is the second major firearms incident in Greater Manchester in the space of a week after the tragic murder of Kieran McGrath in Ashton last Saturday.
“Deansgate is one of Manchester city centre’s main roads so there would have been a number of people walking and driving in the area at that time,” said Chief Inspector Parkin.
“If you saw a motorbike pull up outside the Living Room and drive off or saw two people setting fire to it on Brotherton Drive, I would ask you to phone police.
“Understandably people will be concerned about what has happened but we have increased police patrols to offer reassurance and we are not linking it with the murder of Kieran McGrath in Tameside.”
Anyone with information should phone police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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