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Over a decade ago, the West Midlands earned the unfortunate label of being the gun crime capital of England and Wales. The region was plagued by numerous high-profile shootings, with frequent gunfights erupting between rival gangs. At that time, data showed the West Midlands Police area had the highest rate of firearms offences per capita compared to other regions.
Simeon Moore, better known as Zimbo, a former member of the notorious Johnson crew in Birmingham during the early 2000s, recalls the situation vividly. “Back then, there were shootings every day, reported shootings every day and unreported shootings every day,” he said. However, recent data accessed by BBC News reveals a significant decline in shootings across the West Midlands Police jurisdiction—which includes Birmingham, Wolverhampton, the Black Country, and Coventry—over the past six years. Reflecting on the change, Zimbo commented, “Things have calmed down dramatically since the early 2000s.”
Although differences in data collection methods make direct comparisons difficult, available figures illustrate the downward trend in gun-related crimes. In 2002-03, the force recorded approximately 1,300 gun crime offences, while in 2024 there were 504 incidents. More detailed statistics from recent years further highlight this improvement: in 2020-21, there were 157 firearms discharges reported, with numbers decreasing to 148 the following year. By 2023, the total dropped significantly to 69 discharges, and within the first seven months of 2024, only 30 were recorded.
West Midlands Police attribute the decline largely to changes in how they handle firearm incidents. A dedicated major crime unit now investigates every instance of gunfire as a potential murder case, emphasizing the seriousness of such crimes. Zimbo, however, points out that policing alone does not explain the reduction. He believes a shift in cultural attitudes has played a critical role, with more former offenders speaking out against the lifestyle and guiding younger generations away from it. Having spent many years in and out of prison after being jailed for six years as a teenager for possessing a semi-automatic weapon, Zimbo understands this environment first-hand. He noted, “There’s more people that have been involved in that life talking about it, turning away from it and speaking bad about it in the sense that this isn’t the right way to go. Now you’ve got man that have lived that life, done crazy sentences and they’re telling the young people now, ‘if you’re going to start living like this, expect jail, expect to lose your friends or possibly lose your own life.'”
In Birmingham, Zimbo is actively involved in community projects, including heading the urban division of Revere Records, where local youths such as the artist Solitary are creating music that explores their experiences growing up in challenging environments without descending into criminality. Zimbo remarked on the difficulty these young people face in avoiding the pull of the lifestyle, saying, “It’s very hard for these young people to stay away from the lifestyle.”
From the police perspective, Superintendent Ryan Chambers, who oversees the major crime unit, highlighted the success of their targeted approach. The unit focuses on serious crime and offenders possessing firearms, which has contributed to the observed reductions in gun discharges and an increase in weapon seizures. He explained that about half of the firearms discharges involved stolen shotguns that had originally been owned legally but were taken during burglaries and ended up being used criminally. Chambers added, “We’ve had a good level of success over the last 12-months. We’ve had the most recoveries and biggest reduction in discharges we’ve seen in recent years.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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