Jessie's family speaks

Barbara Reid's son Jessie James was shot dead in Moss Side, Manchester, in the early hours of Saturday.

She urged the community to act against gun crime, saying: "Enough is enough."

Mrs Reid denied the killing was connected to her other son Elmo, 18, who is serving seven years for robbery and possessing an imitation firearm.

'Mistake'

Police have said they believe Jessie was not a gang member and may have been shot mistakenly.

We're in a maze it seems, and we just need to come together as a community Barbara Reid, Jessie's mother

The Manchester Academy High School pupil, who lived in Moss Side, was killed with a semi-automatic pistol in a park on Raby Street.

A post-mortem examination showed he was killed by three bullets - two to his torso and one to his appendix.

Mrs Reid, a member of the local Seventh Day Adventist Church, said her son had been "a happy, loving, God-fearing, lad".

She said: "He loved life. He was very adventurous. He was very respected in this neighbourhood.

"Although I haven't confronted the killer as yet, I know my creator God knows exactly where he is and I'm appealing to people's mothers and fathers, cousins and extended families.

"Do not sit down with my son's blood on your hands."

The killing shocked the community

In an appeal to the local community to take action against gun crime, she added: "Enough is enough. We can't go on like this.

"We're in a maze it seems, and we just need to come together as a community, not just talking behind doors but take action, positive action."

She acknowledged some members of the community may be afraid to come forward and give information to the police, but added: "I've lost my son.

"I can't do much but what I can do, I will. They can kill me because they have already killed me inside."

Parties

Explaining why Jessie had been out in the early hours, his sister Rosemary Reid said: "Jessie's a teenager.

"They like to go out with their friends and go to parties. It was nothing out of the ordinary.

"He came home and told us where he was going. He always let us know where he was going and when he would be back."

The police are reviewing how well they responded to the shooting, after Mrs Reid raised concerns about how long it took for a police family liaison officer to visit her family.