WITNESSES have told of the panic as a man was shot dead in Nottingham.

The victim, Bernard Langton, of Bulwell, was found in an alleyway close to the Pitcher and Piano pub in High Pavement.

It is thought he was shot in a bar and nightclub called Paris, in nearby Broadway, at about 2am yesterday.

Officers discovered the 27-year-old after being called to the scene. The man was treated by paramedics but died on his way to hospital.

He was apparently able to stagger towards the Pitcher and Piano after being shot.

A bar worker at Paris, formerly called Geisha, told the Post yesterday she was unable to get into the building while forensic officers continued their investigation inside.

"I was working downstairs when it all happened," she said. "Someone started shooting upstairs and loads of people started coming downstairs to get away.

"It was awful. It was so packed at the time and everyone was panicking so much and running in the downstairs bar. Then something kicked off downstairs as well."

One shocked reveller added: "There was a shot in the bar and a lot of blood. I haven't slept since for thinking about it."

Another witness in the club said: "I heard this bang and thought it was a firework.

"Then this guy shouted out 'someone's got a gun, get down, get down'.

"I didn't want to get involved and left straight away. I saw the man on the floor. He was bleeding. Then the ambulance came."

Chief Inspector Paul Cottee said the circumstances and motive were still being investigated but police believed an altercation in the club might be linked to the killing.

"We do not believe this to be a random attack and know that someone will know who is responsible for Mr Langton's death.

"The family have been notified and are being supported by a family liaison officer. I would appeal to anyone who knows anything about the incident to contact the police.

"We know there will have been a lot of revellers in the Lace Market area who may not yet have spoken to police. Their information could be vital to the inquiry and we would urged them to contact us."

Witnesses should call 0115 8445017 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Police investigations into the incident are continuing. A post-mortem examination was being carried out to establish the cause of death.

Local residents have also expressed their shock over the shooting.

John Partridge, 29, of Weekday Cross flats, which are near Broadway, said: "I was woken up by lots of shouting which sounded like an argument.

"Then I heard someone say something like 'watch out for the police' and then two or three men ran away.

"There was definitely more than one and it was about 2.30am."

High Pavement, Weekday Cross, Pilcher Gate and St Mary's Gate at the junction with St Mary's Place were cordoned off after the shooting.

One 18-year-old resident of Fletcher Gate, who did not want to be named, heard loud noise when she returned home at around 2.15am.

She said: "I got into my block and I heard four shots, I thought there was no way it could be gun shots.

"I looked out of my window and couldn't see anything. All I heard after that was people shouting at each other.

"Where I used to live my window used to look out round there, where it is all cordoned off.

"If that happened when I was still living there it would have been horrific. It is shocking."

Police patrols were stepped up in the area after the incident and police are continuing to speak to a number of witnesses.

Officers are appealing for anyone who was in the Hockley or Lace Market area at around 2am to call 0115 967 0999 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

The last fatal shooting in Nottingham was that of 17-year-old Nathan Williams at The Bridgeway Centre in The Meadows in September 2006.

His killer, Courtney Hunt, from The Meadows, is serving a minimum 30-year jail term after being convicted of murder in 2007.

Guns were shot 28 times in Nottingham in 2008.

At the height of gun crime in the city in 2003, there were 51 shootings that year, resulting in 23 injuries and four deaths.

Figures released to the Post by Notts Police in March this year revealed that 32 firearms were seized in Nottingham between April 1 2008 and February 28 2009.

Separate Home Office figures published earlier this year showed a near 20% rise in firearms offences in Notts between April 1 2007 and March 31 2008.

The 240 offences represented an 18% rise on the 196 firearms offences in 2006/7.

The figure was also higher than the 223 offences recorded in 2003/4, when Nottingham suffered unprecedented levels of gun crime.

Notts Chief Constable Julia Hodson recently announced she was cutting the number of firearms officers in the county due to the force's success in tackling gun crime.

There were 137 authorised firearms officers in Notts in the year to March 31, 2008, according to the latest available figures.

The numbers were cut from April 1, but force chiefs have refused to say by how many "for operational reasons".

guy.woodford@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk