Police in plea for help to find killer

Fred Fowler, 72, was shot in the Tap and Barrel pub in the Hendon area of Sunderland on Sunday evening when two masked men burst in and opened fire.

Northumbria Police said it appeared he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and immediately appealed to the community for help.

But Detective Superintendent Barbara Franklin said: "We have had a poor response from the public to the appeals we made for information regarding the shooting.

"We are appealing to the Hendon community to come forward and speak to police if they have any information that could help us."

A 19-year-old man, who was also shot during the incident, is recovering in Newcastle General Hospital where his condition last night was said to be improving.

Meanwhile police continued to carry out house-to-house inquiries in the Salem Street area of Hendon.

They have spoken to six children who were playing in the street at the time.

The shooting happened after three men arrived at the pub in a dark Ford Focus.

The children saw one man run out of the car and fire a shot through a window into the pub, before he ran into the bar with an accomplice.

A number of shots were then fired inside the premises, where there were about a dozen drinkers.

Det Supt Franklin said: "There is nothing in my mind which suggests Mr Fowler was the target. He was an innocent victim in the middle of all this.

"Ballistics experts have visited the pub to help us establish information about the firearms used and how many shots were fired."

The pensioner was single and lived in sheltered accommodation behind the pub.

Police have recovered a car they believe was the getaway vehicle.

The Ford Focus was stolen from the Stockton area of Teesside on Friday night and police believe it could have been driven around the Sunderland area over the weekend before Sunday's shooting.

Anyone with information has been asked to call 0191-454 7555 ext 66086.