Two men who shot at each other outside a Birmingham nightclub, injuring a food stall worker in the crossfire, have each been jailed for 18 years.
Aaron Nubie, 46, and Kimani Durrell-Smith, 27, fired at each other outside the FJ Lounge nightclub in Aston in the early hours of March 23. The incident followed a row inside the venue earlier that night.
CCTV shows exchange of gunfire
CCTV footage revealed that Nubie had left the club but returned armed with a gun. He fired at Durrell-Smith as he left the venue at around 6am. Durrell-Smith, who was already armed, then fired several shots back at Nubie.
An innocent bystander, who had been working at a food stall outside the club, was caught in the crossfire. Fortunately, his injuries were not life-changing.
Arrests and charges
Officers were called to the nightclub and identified Nubie and Durrell-Smith as suspects. Around half an hour after the incident, Nubie arrived at hospital with a gunshot wound, initially telling officers he could not remember how it happened.
Nubie was arrested, while Durrell-Smith attempted to evade police but was later arrested following a firearms warrant at an address in West Bromwich. He had also been injured but would not tell officers or healthcare professionals what had happened.
Both men were charged and, following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, were found guilty last October of wounding with intent. They had previously admitted possession of a firearm.
Sentencing and police comment
On Thursday, October 22, they were sentenced to 18 years each in prison. Following the shooting, a closure order was also granted for FJ Lounge.
Detective Sergeant Phil Hinton, from the Major Crime Team, said: “Both men made a decision to arm themselves, and then to fire at each other at close range – which could have cost them their lives, and the lives of others.
“The fact that a member of the public was injured because of their dispute shows how selfish and reckless their actions were.
“We don’t tolerate guns on the streets of the West Midlands, and we are working hard to identify and bring to justice those involved in gun crime.
“Thanks to a thorough investigation from our committed team, Nubie and Durrell-Smith are rightly now behind bars.”
