Two men sentenced over drive-by shooting in Britain's Birmingham

Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of over 30 years for their involvement in a brazen drive-by shooting in Britain's Birmingham city.

The incident took place on April 30, 2023, when Usman Khan, aged 22, attempted to murder a man in Washwood Heath using a Skorpion submachine gun capable of firing up to 800 rounds per minute.

The victim, a man in his 30s, arrived at Heartlands Hospital suffering from gunshot wounds to his stomach and leg after being targeted while driving a Volkswagen Golf on Shaw Hill Road.

Witnesses reported that a silver vehicle pulled up alongside the victim’s vehicle and opened fire, leading to a swift police response.

Law enforcement quickly initiated an investigation, tracking the movements of the vehicle. Their efforts led them to a different vehicle, a Seat, in Whitacre Road.

This car belonged to Amaan Ajaz, Khan’s accomplice, who drove the two men around Birmingham to evade capture.

Despite their attempts to conceal their actions, forensic evidence from the abandoned vehicle allowed officers to identify Khan.

Ajaz, 20, was apprehended on May 5, 2023, while driving the Seat, and was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

During questioning, Ajaz denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was merely running errands for a friend that night.

Meanwhile, Khan remained silent throughout his interview. Nonetheless, detectives were able to compile a compelling case against both men.

Khan later fled to Pakistan shortly after the shooting, leaving law enforcement on high alert. However, he was apprehended upon his return to Birmingham via Dubai in October 2023.

Khan had also pleaded guilty to counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs

After their trial, which concluded in April, both men were convicted of their respective roles in the crime.

Khan was sentenced to 30 years for attempted murder, while Ajaz received a four-and-a-half-year sentence for assisting an offender.

The police recovered crucial evidence during their investigation, including clothing linked to the crime, which further solidified their case. Detective Inspector Francis Nock from the West Midlands Police’s Major Crimes Unit expressed relief at the successful arrests.

He remarked, "This was a brazen attempt on a man's life which could easily have led to his death. Thanks to the hard work of all the officers involved, we were able to identify, locate, and arrest Khan and Ajaz."

Another suspect identified as the shooter who had also reportedly fled to Pakistan with Khanremains at large.