Warring Midland gangsters have renewed their bloody conflict in a fresh cycle of violence on the streets of Birmingham. The chilling alert comes after a week of tit-for-tat shootings between the city's two notorious black street gangs the Johnson Crew and Burger Bar Boys. Last Wednesday four men were injured after a lone gunman fired a volley of shots into a cafe frequented by some members of the Johnson Crew gang in Perry Barr. The victims, all in their 20s and two of whom are believed to be members of a Birmingham rap group, were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds described as serious but not life threatening. Police said one victim, a 29-year-old man, received only minor wounds and was discharged. The gunman, desribed as black, 6ft and wearing dark clothing, had been dropped off at Ruthies cafe in Aston Lane by an accomplice riding a black motorbike. A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "The pillion passenger enterted the cafe and fired a number of shots from a handgun before leaving. "Both men then escaped on the motorcycle heading towards Witton Lane and Aston Villa football ground." Then, two days later masked gunmen targeted a property in Old Smithy Place, in Hockley, in what is believed to be a reprisal attack. A number of shots were fired through an upstairs front room window but no-one was injured in the attack on early Friday night. The police spokesman said: "Officers were called to a firearms incident in Old Smithy Place during which three shots were fired at a first floor window from a handgun. "No-one was injured though there were people in the house. "Shortly after the incident three black males aged 15-18 and dressed in black were seen riding off on pedal cycles towards Abby Street." Police said they are not linking the two incidents but gangland sources have told the Sunday Mercury that the attacks point to a renewed clash between the two groups. He said: "The attack on Ruthies was a deliberate attempt to target a place that is a known hangout of some Johnnies (Johnson Crew). "In retaliation the Johnnies fired at a house in Hockley which is considered to be Burger Bar territory. "They were after a particular Burger Bar member who the gunmen believed was in the house at the time. "There were people in the house but they were not injured." Last week's shootings come after a recent quell in the vicious gang wars that have blighted Birmingham over the last five years. A crackdown by West Midlands Police has led to prominent members of both gangs being arrested and charged with firearms and drug-related offences. The source said: "This has led to the gangs becoming splintered and now you have off-shoots of the Burgers and Johnnies running around in small cliques and crews. "The more the gangs break up the more chance there is of further conflict and further marking of territories and post-codes." The new breed of gangsters include 'youth' factions of the Johnson Crew gang. Calling themselves Cash Money crew and Baby Johnsons the gangs are said to be even more violent than their predecessors. | 
