The man was shot as he walked along Bevington Road

A 28-year-old man is in a stable condition in hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds in a street shooting in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police are investigating whether the incident, which happened in the Aston area of the city on Thursday night, is linked to the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old in the city on Monday.

In the latest incident the father-of-three was approached by three masked men in Bevington Road as he walked home from the shops at about 2230 BST.

The victim, who was shot three times, is under police guard in hospital but his condition has improved sufficiently for him to be placed on an ordinary ward.

'Pellet wounds'

On Monday, father-of-two Mohammed Sabir died after he was shot 16 times in Lozells Road, Handsworth, less than two miles from the scene of the latest shooting.

Superintendent Mick Rose, of West Midlands Police, said officers were unable to confirm any positive link between Thursday night's incident and the murder of 22-year-old Mr Sabir.

He said: "We are not ruling out the possibility that there is a link between the two events.

"It would be speculative to go into too much detail at the moment, but there is a possibility that there is a link."

Detective Inspector Mike Rose, of West Midlands Police, said: "Officers attended the scene and found an Asian man in his 20s lying in the street.

Volkswagen car

"It appears he had been shot several times, possibly with a shotgun as he had a number of pellet wounds. He is detained in a critical condition in hospital."

The area has been sealed off and police want to trace three men who were seen in a dark-coloured car, possibly a Volkswagen.

The men, wearing masks, were spotted getting out of the car and approaching the victim before he was shot.

Anyone with information is urged to contact officers stationed at Queens Road, Aston.