Aya Hachem: Five in court over drive-by murder of teenager in Blackburn shooting
Feroz Suleman, 39, Kashif Manzoor, 24, Uthman Satia, 28, Abubakir Satia, 31, and Judy Chapman, 26, are all remanded in custody.
Saturday 23 May 2020 12:45, UK
Four men and one woman have appeared in court charged with the murder of teenager Aya Hachem in Blackburn.
Feroz Suleman, 39, Kashif Manzoor, 24, Uthman Satia, 28, Abubakir Satia, 31, and Judy Chapman, 26, who are all from Blackburn, appeared at Preston Magistrates' Court at separate hearings.
They are all charged with the 19-year-old's murder and Suleman and Satia were also charged with the attempted murder of the man police believe was the intended target of the shooting, Pashar Khan.
They were all remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday and a closure order was made on Suleman's business, RI Tyres, for up to three months, after an application by Lancashire Police.
University of Salford law student Ms Hachem was walking to a supermarket on 17 May when she was shot.
Emergency services were called to the scene in King Street shortly after 3pm and the teenager was taken to hospital but later died from her injuries.
A post-mortem examination revealed that she died as a result of a gunshot wound to her chest.
Detectives said two shots were fired in the incident. The first hit a building and the second struck the teenager.
A 39-year-old man and another aged 34 who were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of murder and attempted murder remain in custody but have not been charged, police added.
Two men from Blackburn aged 33 and 36 were arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder on 18 May, but have been released on bail pending further enquiries.
The next day, a 35-year-old man from Blackburn was arrested on suspicion of murder and a 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, but they have been released under investigation.
Two women from Blackburn aged 19 and 29 have been released under investigation after they were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and conspiring to commit murder respectively.
Another man, 22, from Blackburn arrested on 22 May on suspicion of murder and attempted murder has been released without charge.
Detective superintendent Andy Cribbin, of the force's major investigation team, said: "While we have now charged people in connection with Aya's murder our enquiries are very much ongoing.
"I would like to thank all those who have come forward to assist with our investigation so far and to continue to encourage people to come and speak to us if they have information."
Anyone with any information or footage should call 101, quoting log number 0412 of 18 May, or anonymously via independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.