'It's getting worse around here': Smethwick locals left shocked, but not surprised, about a shooting which has left a man seriously injured

He was treated at the scene, then conveyed to hospital by an ambulance crew, while police officers cordoned off the road from the junction at Sandon Road to the junction with Rutland Road and St Mary's Road.

The area around the scene remained cordoned off hours later, with inspectors from West Midlands Police checking the scene and a blue tarpaulin outside Reggae Kitchen Jamaican takeaway, while officers and cars kept a visible presence in the area.

The incident, which has since seen three men arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, is the latest to happen in the area, with two major incidents in the last month alone.

Three people were left with injuries following a disorder on Bearwood High Street on February 11, with three men arrested on suspicion of assault, while the murder of Zeshan Afzal at the Jamia Masjid Mosque on Oldbury Road on February 20 has seen seven people arrested in connection.

It was an incident which has left locals with feelings of shock at what had happened, but also a feeling of having seen it before.

One local, who asked not to be named, spoke about how they'd gotten used to seeing police tape up around the area, but were still saddened by what had happened.

He said: "It's not the first time I've seen something like this happen around here.

"I remember a stabbing a few weeks ago, but never anything like this.

"I'm not massively shocked, just saddened as it's someone being badly injured."

Another woman said she had been sitting in her flat when he said she heard several loud bangs and the sound of broken glass, but also spoke about a lack of surprise at what had happened.

She said: "I was sat in the flat and I heard the loud bangs, which sounded almost like gunshots, then the sound of broken glass.

"I didn't look outside until later, then I saw all the police cars and ambulance.

"I'm actually ok and not even that surprised as it's getting worse around here. There was the stabbing the other week and now this."

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "We have arrested three men after a man was shot in the leg in Smethwick.

"We were called after a man was shot on Bearwood Road, Smethwick, at around 1.30am today.

"A 19-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious leg injuries, where he remains.

"Officers carrying out fast-track enquiries to establish what exactly happened, and arrested three men on suspicion of violent disorder.

"A scene is being held today as detectives investigate.

"Anyone who has any information or witnessed the incident is asked to contact us. You can do so via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101 quoting log 180 of 11 March.

"You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."