'Gunchester' fears after tit-for-tat gangland murder

· Mourner killed at wake of victim who was also shot
· City's police deny gun crime out of control

Community groups and police in Manchester jointly appealed yesterday for information about a gangland tit-for-tat murder which has raised fears that part of the city is sliding back to its 1990s "Gunchester" days.

Three shootings over the weekend included the killing of a mourner at the wake for an earlier gun crime victim, whose cortege had been given a police escort amid fears of trouble. The 23-year-old was shot from two speeding cars at the late-night street commemoration, apparently picked at random by gunmen who wounded another mourner.

The victim was named yesterday as Tyrone Donovan Gilbert, of Longsight, Manchester, who was drinking with more than 100 other friends of Ucal Chin, also 23, killed in a drive-by shooting last month. Gilbert was father to three young boys, and his girlfriend, Lisa, was pregnant with a girl. Lisa, who asked for her surname not to be published, said she was devastated by his death. "I loved him so much ... everyone did. His kids loved every bone in his body. They loved playing and doing things with their daddy and now they will never be able to play with him again. I know he loved his kids very much.

"We were just looking forward to our first baby daughter being born. She would have been a daddy's little girl."

Tony Winter, coordinator of the community group Manchester Street Pastors, called on anyone with information to overcome other loyalties and contact the police. "People need to recognise that on these occasions when people die, then they need to come forward because it's no longer the natural community. It's not natural for people to die this way."

He praised the obvious disgust of local people in parts of south and west Manchester, where gang problems have been concentrated. "None of us here is saying that this isn't a dreadful problem, but I am encouraged and I think we're all encouraged by the fact that you can see this response from the community, and all parts of the community, to come together and to continue the good work that has been going on."

Chief Superintendent David Keller, of Greater Manchester police, denied that the shootings - which included the wounding of a 14-year-old boy in a separate incident - meant that gun crime in the city was out of control. Determined countermeasures were "just having a difficult time at the moment".

"We have stepped up patrols, we have armed operations running and high-profile local police officers working in conjunction with the community. We would reassure everyone that while these incidents do attract a lot of attention, they are very, very rare and the chances of you being a victim are very small."

Local people were also helping police with information more than in the past, he said, echoing Mr Winter's appeal. "There is a problem in terms of getting people to come forward, but we have had some significant successes."

Mr Gilbert was hit in the chest at about midnight on Friday in Frobisher Close, where Mr Chin had lived, during the wake, which had taken over part of the street. Witnesses said that a green Honda Legend and another car were involved, with shots being fired rapidly.

Mr Gilbert died of his wounds in Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he was taken by other mourners, along with a 33-year-old man who is now in a stable condition with gunshot wounds to his leg. The cars sped off and the Honda was found abandoned shortly afterwards in the suburb of Burnage.

Some 20 minutes later a 14-year-old boy was shot in the leg on Stretford Road, Hulme. He was taken to Hope hospital in Salford and his condition is not thought to be life-threatening.