The man was shot in the head and in the back

One man was shot in the head and back as he stood in the street outside Rashid & Son salon, in Witton Road, on Saturday.

A second man suffered a broken shoulder after he was beaten with a blunt instrument.

West Midlands Police have assured any witnesses who come forward that they will be protected.

But community leaders are worried that people have lost their faith in the police.

Aston councillor Ayoub Khan said residents did not feel safe enough to come forward.

It needs to be a partnership - if we can provide the information to the police they will do their jobs the best they can Mohammed Salim, traders association

"The police say they are assuring residents that they will be looked after," he said.

"But after this incident it's pretty certain that no amount of assurances will make this community feel safe."

Both victims are under armed guard at an undisclosed hospital and are said to be in a stable condition.

The shooting is the fifth in the area so far this year.

And it follows the shootings of teenagers Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare outside a party just after New Year.

A number of residents claim the police are turning a blind eye to the violence.

Blind eye

But chairman of Birchfield Traders' Association Mohammed Salim said the force was not to blame.

"We the community have got to take the responsibility ourselves.

"It needs to be a partnership - if we can provide the information to the police they will do their jobs the best they can," he said.

"They have given us assurances that they will do their best to make the streets as safe as they can."

Tony Kennedy, Birmingham city councillor for the Aston ward, told the BBC that despite the latest incident, enormous progress was being made in trying to stop gun crime there.

No arrests have been made after the latest incident. Police are continuing to interview witnesses.