Stoke-on-Trent shootings: Police make seven arrests after street violence erupts

Detectives investigating a series of shootings across a number of Stoke-on-Trent streets have now made seven arrests. Staffordshire Police had already arrested and bailed four suspects after violence erupted on at least four Longton streets on Saturday night.

Officers have quizzed a man on suspicion of violent disorder, two men on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate, and a further man on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Now Staffordshire Police have detained three further Stoke-on-Trent suspects. The suspects - aged 18, 19 and 23 - have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and remain in custody this afternoon.

The alarm was raised on Rochester Road at 5.45pm on Saturday. Trouble was also reported on neighbouring Longley Road, Edgefield Road, and Beeston Street.

It comes as police still had a presence on Rochester Road on Monday. Police had also returned to Longley Road on Sunday.

A police spokesman said: "We have now arrested a total of seven men as part of our ongoing investigation into an incident involving men with weapons in Stoke-on-Trent. Officers were called when the group were seen on Rochester Road, Longton. Firearms officers searched the area but no-one was found and no-one was reported injured.

"We have been looking over CCTV, speaking to people in the area at the time and progressing our lines of enquiry to find out more about what happened. We’d like to thank everyone that has come forward with information so far to help with our investigation. We still want to speak to people who were in the area at the time or those with information that can help with enquiries."

Anyone with any information about the incident should call the police on 101, quoting incident number 670 of May, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

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