Police in Birmingham are appealing for witnesses after the murder of an 18-year-old man on Thursday evening.
The victim, named locally as Kenichi Phillips, was found dead at the scene by police at about 6.45pm on St Mark’s Crescent, in the Ladywood area of the city.
West Midlands police confirmed a man had been arrested on Friday in connection with the incident.
Phillips, known as “Nichies”, is understood to have been shot as he sat in a black Seat Leon car, before walking 100 yards to a nearby alley where he collapsed. On Friday morning police appealed to a number of people they believe were present on the street at the time of the incident.
DS Mark Payne, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are desperately in need of assistance of the public, and anyone who may have been in and around the area at the time to help us understand exactly what went on and how this young man came to lose his life.
“Of course we are very concerned about the number of shootings in Birmingham and are doing everything in our power to deal with those responsible for those shootings. We sometimes get lost in numbers. These are young people losing their lives; mums, brothers and sisters, we are having to help through these tragic circumstances.
“We would appeal to anybody who has information to help us take these guns off the streets, and bring the offenders to justice.”
Forensics teams have cordoned off the area while they search for evidence. A postmortem will take place on Saturday.
Although originally from Birmingham, Phillips was no longer living in the area. His relative, Cee Stylee, posted an appeal on Facebook asking for people to repost it so others with information could come forward.
Stylee wrote: “Last night we lost my great-nephew to #guncrime in Birmingham. Still coming to terms that his beautiful smile will only be a memory (and a happy one) from this day forth, but tears keep falling.
“My heart cries and bleeds for my niece who has lost her baby boy, my sister and the rest of our family.”
Phillips is the fourth man to be murdered with a firearm in Birmingham since October.
