Three men arrested in connection with the Kieran McGrath murder

Three men, aged 32, 30, and 18, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and possession of firearms. All three remain in police custody for questioning.

Today, Wednesday 25 February 2015, officers executed seven warrants in the Heywood, Blackley, Whitefield and Bury areas.

At around 10.25pm on Saturday 4 October 2014, 26-year-old Kieran was found collapsed outside Ashton police station on Manchester Road suffering serious injury.

He made his way to the police station after being shot. Police officers and paramedics who had been called to the station tried to resuscitate him but sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene within minutes.

Kieran had been inside the Sheldon Arms pub with friends from around 8.50pm.

At 9.55pm, two men on a Suzuki Bandit 600cc motorbike drove onto the car park of the pub and waited for five minutes. One of them walked to the back of the pub before both drove to the front at 10pm.

At around 10:20pm, Kieran walked out of the main entrance and onto the car park before walking to a white Audi A3.

When he reached the car, four shots were fired in his direction with one hitting him.

Following the shooting, the bike was seen on Charlestown Road, Blackley at 10.26pm before it was found burnt out on Boggart Hole Clough on Tuesday 7 October 2014 near to the entrance of Pinfold Avenue.

Post mortem results show Kieran died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Two men, aged 30 and 22 who were previously arrested on suspicion of murder, have been bailed pending police enquiries until 18 March and 17 March 2015 respectively.

Anyone with information are asked to phone police on 0161 856 4711 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.