Four Leeds gang members who shot at a rival as they chased him through the streets have been sentenc (Image: West Yorkshire Police)
Machete-wielding gangsters chase their rivals through the streets before opening fire in a shocking display of broad daylight violence.
The masked men, armed with a gun and machetes, pursued the 17-year-old victim in Gipton, east Leeds, at about 3pm on July 7 last year.
During the frantic chase the handgun was fired at the intended victim but he survived as the bullet lodged in the barrel of the converted blank-firing pistol.
That gave the terrified teen the opportunity to race into a nearby convenience store and escape out of the back door.
Horrified members of the public rang 999 and armed police raced to the scene and detained the four suspects in the neighbouring Harehills district of the West Yorkshire city.
One 16-year-old male was found hiding in a garden with a machete tucked down his waistband.
Kamahl Johnson, 19, Zane Gatewood, 18, and a 17-year-old male were then found hiding in the garden of a nearby property on the same street.
Four Leeds gang members who shot at a rival as they chased him through the streets have been sentenc (Image: -)
Zane Gatewood Four Leeds gang members who shot at a rival as they chased him through the streets hav (Image: -)
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Gatewood attempted to flee by jumping over a fence into a neighbouring garden but was seized by officers.
He was also found with a machete tucked down his trousers.
A further machete was found stashed in a dog kennel in the garden where the three had been found.
A converted blank-firing handgun along with four rounds of 9mm ammunition was found in a black Louis Vuitton man-bag in the neighbouring garden.
CCTV showed that the 17-year-old had the handgun at the time of the chase.
Detectives discovered that the four suspects were known members of a notorious urban street gang in Leeds whilst the youth they had targeted was linked to a rival gang.
The group had walked three miles into an area associated with the rival gang apparently looking for any opposing gang member to target.
Subsequent analysis of the clothing worn by the suspects seen on CCTV chasing the victim showed exact matches for the four arrested shortly afterwards along with the weapons recovered.
The victim did not want to co-operate with the investigation and those arrested gave no comment when interviewed.
Kamahl Johnson Four Leeds gang members who shot at a rival as they chased him through the streets ha (Image: -)
Four Leeds gang members who shot at a rival as they chased him through the streets have been sentenc (Image: -)
Four Leeds gang members who shot at a rival as they chased him through the streets have been sentenc (Image: -)
Four Leeds gang members who shot at a rival as they chased him through the streets have been sentenc (Image: -)
The four were subsequently charged with offences including attempted murder, affray and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
They pleaded not guilty to attempted murder but admitted the firearm offence and the affray.
Johnson pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in relation to bleach he had with him.
Gatewood and the 16-year-old each admitted possession of a machete.
Appearing before Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday Johnson and Gatewood were each sentenced to seven years and two months in custody.
The 17-year-old was sentenced to seven years and five months and the 16-year-old was given a term of four years and nine months behind bars.
Det Ch Insp Michael Herbert, who led the investigation, said: “The CCTV footage shows this terrifying incident unfolding on a Sunday afternoon in a residential area where it was witnessed by a large number of people including young children.
“These four had armed themselves with a viable firearm and machetes and gone hunting for a rival gang member and clearly didn’t care about the consequences or the fear their actions brought to the local community.”