Family of murdered Manchester teen make new appeal

Three years to do the day since his death, the family of a murdered Manchester teenager are urging the gunman to hand themselves in. 16 year old Louis Braithwaite was shot inside the William Hill betting shop on Mauldeth Road West on Tuesday 29th January 2008, he died in hospital on Sunday 10th February 2008 from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. His mother and sister are now urging the gunman to hand himself in on the third anniversary of his death.

Louis's mum Sophie appealed to the killers conscience. "All I have now are memories and photos," she said.

"I know you are out there and you are human and just like me, the night you shot my son must
haunt you. Erase this horrible memory from your mind and mine and come forward before it is too late and
this memory destroys you - it will eat you away."

Louis younger sister, now 14, said: "I have lost my brother. Someone started this by killing somebody from a different area. Then people want revenge, that's all that's on their mind.

"Why not put the guns down, because the next thing you know you'll lose a close friend, and you'll be wearing a jumper with their face on, having their name tattooed on you, and taking flowers to their grave. But they will have died along with their friendship."

There's a reward of £50,000 on offer to anyone who can provide enough information to lead to an arrest and conviction of the gunman.

Detective Sergeant Desmond Fowler, from the Major Incident Team, said: "This remains an open and ongoing investigation but what we really need is new information to give it fresh impetus.

"I want the person who holds that key piece of information that could help us catch Louis' killer to trust the police. I cannot stress strongly enough that we have measures that we can seek to use to protect your identity.

"Think about how much Louis' family has suffered over the past three years and if you are not motivated to come forward for their sake, perhaps you will be encouraged to do so by the life-changing sum of money that is being offered as a reward."

Information can be passed to police via the incident room on 0161 856 2446, through Crimestoppers,
anonymously, 0800 555 111 or via the GMP website: www.gmp.police.uk

Anyone with any information about gun crime can talk to specialist officers at GMP's Xcalibre Task
Force on 0161 856 4438. All information will be treated in the strictest of confidence.