Eighteen Years Each: Birmingham Men Jailed Over Reckless Gunfight Outside Aston Nightclub

Two men have been sentenced to up to 18 years in prison each after firing guns at one another outside a nightclub in Birmingham, injuring an innocent bystander who was working at a nearby food stall.

According to a report from West Midlands Police, Aaron Nubie, 46, and Kimani Durrell‑Smith, 27, were sentenced on Thursday, 22 October, following their convictions for wounding with intent, including the count relating to the food‑stall worker, and had pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm at Birmingham Crown Court. Both men had also previously admitted possessing a firearm.

The shooting happened at around 6am on 23 March outside FJ Lounge on Bickford Road in Aston. Investigators later established that the violence was linked to a disagreement inside the nightclub earlier that evening.

Suspects Identified Within Hours

Police said their initial investigation quickly identified Nubie and Durrell-Smith as suspects.

Around 30 minutes after the shooting, Nubie arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound. According to West Midlands Police, he initially told officers that he could not remember how he had been injured. He was subsequently arrested.

Durrell-Smith had also sustained injuries. Police said he attempted to evade them before being arrested following a firearms warrant at an address in West Bromwich.

Investigators from the force's Major Crime Unit reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area. The footage showed both men firing guns outside the venue, according to the police report.

Further enquiries indicated that the shooting followed a disagreement inside the nightclub. Police said Nubie had left the venue before returning with a gun and firing at Durrell-Smith as he exited.

Durrell-Smith, who was already armed, then fired several shots back at Nubie, according to investigators.

The exchange of gunfire put people nearby at risk, including a man working at a food stall outside the club. He was caught in the crossfire and suffered injuries that police said were not life-changing.

The force said it continued to offer support to the injured bystander.

CCTV Footage Central to Prosecution

The investigation relied on a review of CCTV footage and other enquiries to establish what happened outside the nightclub.

Nubie, of Marsh Close in Erdington, and Durrell-Smith, of Victoria Road in Stockland Green, were charged in connection with the incident. Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, both were found guilty of wounding with intent in October 2025, according to West Midlands Police. They had already admitted firearm possession offences.

The 18-year prison terms handed down to each man reflect the seriousness of the offences for which they were convicted. The police report did not provide a further breakdown of the sentences or specify whether any additional licence conditions would apply after their release.

A closure order was also granted for FJ Lounge following the shooting.

The incident illustrates how a dispute between two armed individuals can put people who have no involvement in the disagreement in danger. In this case, the bystander was injured while working outside the venue.

Police Highlight Dangers of Gun Crime

Detective Sergeant Phil Hinton, from West Midlands Police's Major Crime Team, said both men had chosen to carry weapons and fire at each other at close range.

He said their actions could have cost them their lives as well as the lives of other people nearby. He also highlighted the injury suffered by the bystander as evidence of the wider consequences of the confrontation.

West Midlands Police said it continued to target gun crime and serious and organised crime through Operation Target.

The force's investigation brought the two men to trial after officers reviewed evidence from the scene and traced the suspects following the shooting.

Although the dispute began inside the nightclub, the consequences extended beyond those involved. The bystander who was injured had been working nearby when the shots were fired.

Both men are now beginning their 18-year prison sentences after being convicted of the shooting.