Sheffield Today: Executed in the Gutter

MURDERED Sheffield teenager Tarek Chaiboub and his killer both drew guns at a hairdressers yards from a street busy with shoppers, witnesses have told police. Speaking at a press conference today, Chief Supt Paul Broadbent said officers believe the 17-year-old victim - nicknamed GT - was carrying a firearm and one was recovered close to where he fell, outside the shop in Spital Street, just off Spital Hill, Burngreave.

Describing the circumstances of the killing, Mr Broadbent said Tarek "was shot inside the hairdressers", known as Freddie's, less than a week after the youth had been stabbed outside his home in Wincobank.

He revealed that a number of witnesses told police the teenager was confronted by his killer and both drew out their guns, before Tarek received "a small number of shots".

Tarek collapsed in the street outside, fatally wounded.

Mr Broadbent said: "We have a number of witnesses saying that but there are other statements and we wouldn't want to pre-judge anything".

But he added: "It is believed the victim was carrying a firearm and a firearm has been recovered close to where the victim fell."

Forensic examinations of the weapon are still taking place.

A post mortem examination of Tarek's body is being carried out over the weekend to determine the exact cause of death but eyewitnesses said he was wounded in the back, below his rib cage.

Mr Broadbent admitted the shooting was likely to have been gang-related and that the victim had been known to police "on a small number of occasions".

But he stressed that despite the shooting, which occured close to where 16-year-old Jonathan Matondo was executed last year, members of the public are not at risk.

"We are quite satisfied the victim was the intended subject of the assault and he had been involved in some altercations previously. This city is still a safe place to live, work and visit."

He appealed for anyone connected to Tarek not to take revenge for the killing.

Mr Broadbent, who offered "deepest sympathy and condolences" to Tarek's devastated family, said: "There may well be a gang element in this crime. Some may wish to take the law into their own hands, let's not do that, we can all genuinely work together on this.

"We need to work with local community members, councillors and everyone involved.

"This is a tragic loss of life and we have resolved to make sure we find out who has committed this crime and the full force of the law is used to convict them. A robust police investigation has been launched."

He praised the public response to the tragedy.

"We have had lots of positive lines of inquiry and the public have been fantastic. Nobody seems frightened or scared to come forward," Mr Broadbent said.

Nobody has been arrested in connection with Tareq's murder but Mr Broadbent said three youths arrested in connection with Tareq's stabbing but released without charge were "part of the inquiry".

The murder scene is just half a mile from Nottingham Cliff Recreation Ground, where 16-year-old Jonathan Matondo was shot dead last October.

Senior police refused to be drawn on whether the latest murder may be part of a continuing feud between the S3 and S4 gangs in Burngreave.

But a pal of Tarek, who did not want to be named, said: "It's all to do with gang war and it's pathetic really. They're all supposed to be friends. They spend their days killing their friends."

He added: "I bet it has something to do with him being stabbed last week. I only saw him this morning - he was on his way to get his hair cut.

"If I'd known it was the last time I'd see him I'd have given him a big hug."

A female friend added: "He was in the barber shop and someone asked him to come out which he did and they shot him.

"It's a really hard time for his family and the community."

Tarek's mother and older sister are visiting family abroad. He also has an older brother and younger sister.

Officers are continuing to carry out inquiries in the area.

The hairdressers is opposite a doctor's surgery from which staff rushed out to try to save his life. The scene is also opposite the SureStart Burngreave Children's Centre, on Spital Street.

Kids, parents, and staff inside the building at the time were being offered counselling today, at a drop-in session at the First Start Children's Centre on Firth Park Road, Firth Park.

• Anyone with information about the murder should call police on 0114 2202020 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111.