Teen chased through city centre after pulling out loaded gun in broad daylight
A teenager who brazenly pulled out a loaded gun in front of police officers in a busy city centre has been jailed.
Nikye Thomas, 19, brandished the black handgun in Birmingham at around 3.10pm on June 24.
He’d been in a physical altercation with another man over a small bag before pulling the gun out, scaring the other man away.
Thomas then fled himself, but officers chased him through the city and CCTV spotted him dropping the gun in the busy Burlington Arcade shopping centre.
The gun had five live rounds in the magazine with another in the chamber, ready to be fired.
Officers caught up with him in Birmingham New Street railway station, where he was tackled to the ground and arrested with help from an off-duty officer.
Thomas had cannabis resin, scales and a burner phone on him when he was searched.
Thomas, of Colindale Road, was jailed at Birmingham crown court for five years for possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and six months, to be served concurrently, for possession of cannabis with intent to supply.
Det Sgt Sharon Owen praised the work of officers to arrest Thomas.
She said: ‘This was a shocking and reckless act which happened in the middle of a busy Saturday afternoon at a time when the city was full of innocent people.
‘Thanks to great work by CCTV operators, firearms officers, forensics and investigators, Thomas is now behind bars.
‘In addition to the five rounds in the gun’s magazine, one was in the chamber and ready to be fired.
‘Carrying guns on our streets is completely unacceptable and this investigation could easily have become a murder investigation had he pulled the trigger.
‘We are determined to take guns off the streets and arresting those who think it is acceptable.’
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