A COVENTRY man has revealed the ‘trauma’ his family endured after a shotgun was fired at his home through ‘mistaken identity’ – with his pregnant wife and young daughter inside.
Originally from Burundi, he said ‘Coventry has changed’ as he compared it with violence from guns and weapons in the African state.
He spoke exclusively with the Coventry Observer about the incident.
The family which has since been forced to leave their home in Tile Hill, Coventry, was left terrified and unable to sleep in the aftermath of the attack on July 8.
Police, who were called at 5.20pm, believed it to be a case of mistaken identity. They have made no arrests but say investigations are continuing.
A neighbour saw two masked people on a motorbike pull up next to the man’s home and fire a shotgun directly at his front door – leaving a gaping hole – before fleeing.
The man, who does not wish to be identified, says if his wife or daughter was near his door they would be dead.
He added: “We could not stay there because we are all very traumatised.
“Every time someone touches the door or we hear a motorbike on the street we get scared.
“Coventry has changed. People feel they are free to harm anyone and can walk with whatever weapon without anyone arresting them.
“My wife has been in this country four years. We are from Burundi. This kind of situation happens most of the time there.
“But we never expected that in the UK we would hear gunshots and things like that.
“And we have been very surprised to see it happen close to our door – even inside our home.
“If someone was close to the door they would be dead. Because those people came to kill someone.”
Of the incident, he told us: “I was at work and my wife called me and told me someone shot at our door.
“Our neighbour saw two guys on the bike jump out wearing masks with a big gun – a long gun.
“He went next to our door then he shot and ran back to the bike.
“My wife was in the kitchen and just heard a big bang. My daughter was very scared.
“I left work, running quickly, speaking to the police in the car.
“They took us to the hotel that night because all of us were very scared and traumatised – because my wife she is pregnant. They couldn’t sleep properly.
“.. Two days after the shooting at my door, on my road the neighbours heard gunshots again.”
He says they moved to another home with assistance from the police and other authorities.
Coventry police last month spoke of the need to crack down on gang violence in Coventry, and said there would be more patrols.
Emmanuel Lukenga, 21, was killed in Tile Hill in June 12. Three men have appeared in court.
Violent crime has seen rises of around 20 per cent in Coventry in the last year, police chiefs say.
There have been a number of fatal and serious shootings and stabbings.
If anyone has information on the attack they should contact police via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, via 101 any time, or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
