Detectives investigating the fatal shooting of two men at a gathering in Manchester have arrested a woman on suspicion of murder.
Abayomi Ajose, 36, and Cheriff Tall, 21, were shot at close range in the early hours of Sunday morning at what police described as a “spontaneous gathering” of dozens of people in the Moss Side area.
Great Manchester police said late on Thursday they had arrested a 32-year-old woman from the Birmingham area on suspicion of two counts of murder.
The deaths shocked residents of Moss Side, where community groups and civic leaders have worked to rid the area of the “Gunchester” label it attracted in the 1990s.
Tributes have been paid to both men. Hundreds of people have donated to a fundraiser set up for the family of Ajose, who is understood to have worked in children’s services for Manchester city council. A minute’s silence was held in Moss Side on Monday and floral tributes have piled up near the scene of the shooting.
It is understood that one line of inquiry is that Ajose was trying to keep the peace when he was shot.
Police have faced criticism for not shutting down the impromptu street party, which had a DJ and sound system and took place shortly after a pre-planned event nearby. The force said it had responded proportionately and it was “not achievable to safely disperse every group of people that are gathering”.
