A 16-year-old boy is in hospital with potentially life-threatening gunshot wounds after a shooting near a mosque in Birmingham, police have said.
The incident took place on Bowyer Road, close to the junction with St Saviours Road in the Alum Rock area, shortly before 5.30pm on Wednesday. West Midlands Police said officers were called to reports of a shooting and found the teenager with gunshot injuries. He was taken to hospital, where his condition is described as potentially life-threatening.
Officers are conducting forensic examinations and CCTV trawls in the area, and are speaking to local residents. The force has also urged anyone with dashcam or doorbell footage to come forward.
Police rule out mosque link and provide reassurance
West Midlands Police moved quickly to address any community concerns, stating that although the shooting happened near a mosque, they do not believe at this stage it is connected to the place of worship. “We understand this is extremely worrying for people in the area,” a spokesperson said, adding that local officers will remain in Alum Rock to speak to anyone with concerns.
The force’s stance appears calibrated to allay fears in a community that has experienced previous attacks on mosques. In March 2019, multiple mosques in Birmingham were targeted with smashed windows in incidents investigated by counter-terrorism officers, following the Christchurch shootings. At the time, community leaders warned of a growing threat from far-right extremism and police stepped up security. More recently, in October 2024, the Charity Commission published findings of an inquiry into Dar ul Uloom Islamia Rizwia (Bralawai) mosque, which revealed governance and safeguarding failures, though that investigation is unrelated to the current incident.
The Alum Rock area itself is diverse, with a higher proportion of residents born outside the UK than the national average, according to data from Crystal Roof. While crime levels locally are lower than the England and Wales average, gun crime remains an ongoing concern in Birmingham. Alum Rock has seen a number of firearms-related incidents in recent years, including a shooting in November 2018 when an 18-year-old man was shot in the torso and neck on Alum Rock Road – treated as a targeted attack – and an incident in March 2024 when two men were arrested on Bowyer Road after police found suspected Class A drugs and a live handgun in a designer bag. In June 2026, four men were jailed for conspiracy to shoot at addresses in Birmingham, including a daytime discharge of a firearm at a house in Poppy Grove, Alum Rock, in October 2024. Separately, in March 2026, a murder investigation was launched following a stabbing on Bridge Road in Alum Rock.
The current shooting is the subject of a dedicated investigation, with police stating they are keeping an open mind about the motive.
Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information to contact them via Live Chat on the West Midlands Police website, by calling 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers. They are particularly keen to hear from anyone with dashcam or doorbell footage from Bowyer Road or St Saviours Road around the time of the shooting.
