Victims ran for their lives as drive-by gunman opened fire

FIVE MEN JAILED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN SHOOTING

- AMY WALKER

A GANGLAND drive-by shooting outside a café in broad daylight led to the downfall of two rival drug gangs.

As two men sat in the Godfather Café in Cheetham Hill, a Mercedes slowly stalked by, causing a group, including the men, to go outside and investigate.

A family-of-eight walked past before three to four shots were fired at the group of men.

They split, running in different directions, but two had been hit in the legs.

Following the attack, the gunman was helped to flee the country by his brother, and still remains at large. His brother, Ahsan Shabbir, and four other men have now been jailed for their involvement in the shooting, as well as for a raft of drug-dealing offences.

Manchester Crown Court heard that on the afternoon of November 15, 2019, a group of males were seated inside the Godfather Café on Copthall Lane.

At around 2.30pm, a Mercedes, driven by Hazhar Anwar, drove slowly down the road, almost coming to a stop outside the café. The front seat passenger was alleged to be Faizan Shabbir, and Danyal Ahmed was sat in the back.

The group who were sitting inside saw the car and left the café to pursue it, prosecutor Alaric Bassano said.

"As they approached the car at the junction with Cheetham Hill Road, the front seat passenger pointed a pistol towards them and opened fire, causing the males to run back up Copthall Lane," he said.

Footage of the shooting showed a family, including five small children, walk past the scene moments before the gunman opened fire.