Tributes have been paid to 21-year-old Sheriff Taal who was shot dead at a street party in Manchester, U.K, last Saturday.

Taal, a youth worker, was gunned down alongside community worker Abayomi Ajose, 36, at an impromptu street party attended by over 200 people.

A murder investigation has been launched and U.K. police believed that Mr Ajose, a father of three, may have attempted to act as a peace-maker in a dispute between the gunman and Mr Taal.

Friends and family have been paying tribute to the pair.

Jenny McGarry, headteacher at St Mary’s Primary School in Moss Side, led the tributes to former pupil Sheriff Taal.

She wrote on the school’s website: “One of our past pupils Sheriff Taal lost his life this weekend and we join with his family in their grief and sadness. Please keep Sheriff and his family and friends in your thoughts.”

Youth worker Kemoy Walker also paid tribute to Sheriff.

He wrote: “Heartbroken.

“So upset today to wake up and hear the devastating news of losing yet again another young person in our community of Moss Side – my heart goes out to the family during this time… We had some good memories at Hideaway and Powerhouse Youth Club back in the day…

“Speechless today.”

Youth worker Akemia Minott told the Manchester Evening News: “He was probably one of the most popular, well liked young men in the community.

“Everybody knew him.

“He was very cheeky but very happy and very manageable.

“He was probably the only young man I’ve ever known that I wanted to hit and hug all at the same time.

“And he had been through so much in recent years. He lost a friend to youth violence when four men all got attacked.

“He was a close, lifelong friend and the impact on him and his friendship group was massive.

“A lot of them haven’t recovered from that yet and now the death of Sheriff has intensified all that.”

Akemia, a director at 84 Youth, said Sheriff eschew violence. 

She said: “It was great taking Cheriff on residentials and stuff like that.

“He has been to the Houses of Parliament with us to challenge MPs on what they’re going to do about youth violence and how they’re going to address situations.

“Obviously that’s incredibly sad when you look at what’s happened.”

Detectives investigating the fatal shooting of two men have arrested a 32-year-old woman from the Birmingham area on suspicion of two counts of murder.