Dove Cote Birmingham Pub Shooting: Marlon O'Reilly, 33, Named As Victim

Victim Of Birmingham Pub Shooting Was 33-Year-Old Father
The 33-year-old was shot at the pub in Yardley
The 33-year-old was shot at the pub in Yardley
PA

The victim of a fatal pub shooting in Birmingham has been named by police as a 33-year-old father.

Marlon O'Reilly was shot dead by a gunman who walked into the Dove Cote pub in Yardley, Birmingham at 5.46pm on Friday.

Although formal identification has not yet taken place, West Midlands Police said Mr O'Reilly was believed to be the deceased.

Today, the force's scenes of crime officers were still combing the inside of the pub for clues surrounding the murder, which has shocked locals.

A large cordon around the mainly residential area, which remained in place overnight, has now been removed.

Bunches of flowers from friends and loved ones have been left outside the pub in Cockshut Hill.

A card on one read: "Marlon, you will never be forgotten, always in our hearts and thoughts."

Another read: "Goodnight, God bless" with another mourner addressing their card "to 'my brother' Marlon", while a solitary black balloon displayed the words "A true gent - RIP".

A white forensics tent has been put up around the pub entrance, while police remain guarding the scene.

The pub looks much as it was when what police believe was a "targeted" attack took place, with empty pint glasses abandoned outside on the drinking benches.

Inspector Derek Packham, senior investigating officer, said: "Marlon was enjoying a Friday evening drink with his friends when he was shot.

"We continue to establish the events that led to his death and we are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen Mr O'Reilly yesterday.

"We are currently investigating a number of lines of inquiry and have conducted house to house, forensic searches of the scene and continue to trawl CCTV for clues, but we still need people to come forward.

"Family liaison officers continue to offer support to the family at this sad time."

Chief Superintendent Alex Murray, of West Midlands Police, said: "We believe this may have been a targeted attack which happened in a busy pub in broad daylight.

"At this stage we do not believe this is connected with any other incident."

He added: "This would have been a shocking incident for witnesses and will have a huge impact on the local community.

"I want to reassure residents that we are working hard to find the person responsible for this attack and are following a number of lines of inquiry at this early stage."

He also appealed directly to locals in what is a busy residential area to come forward with information.

"We appeal to anyone who has seen something, you might have seen something suspicious, you might have seen someone driving off, you might have seen someone running off," he said.

"Every single piece of information is really important to help us catch this killer."

The Dove Cote pub where the shooting happened is run by national chain the Stonegate Pub Company.

A spokesman for Stonegate said none of the staff had been hurt in the incident, adding the pub would remain closed while the investigation continues.

A woman, who also declined to be named and who lives opposite the pub, said she had seen a man make off from the pub on a moped just after the shooting happened.

"I saw a bloke leave the pub, then he got on this bike and went," she said.

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