Watch the moment gunman who shot former friend tries to escape arrest as police say it was a 'miracle' victim not killed

John Dees, 33, fired a sawn-off shotgun at his former mate on a busy Washington street in broad daylight in October last year.

The violent offender tailed his victim, of whom he had been in dispute with, in a car before summoning him to the passenger side window.

Dees, of Wensleydale Avenue, Washington, then fired his gun at point-blank range before fleeing the scene and attempting to cover his tracks.

The man suffered life-changing injuries but amazingly survived the blast.

Dees then drove off from the scene and attempted to cover his tracks by removing his car’s metallic black wrap – changing its appearance to silver – and peeled off vinyl stickers which he discarded in a wheelie bin.

The offender had also shaven his head in an attempt to change his appearance when officers located him and he was arrested.

Now footage released by Northumbria Police shows how Dees tried to avoid arrest.

The video shows the victim in a van that was being followed by Dees who was in a black car shortly before the shooting.

Dees is then seen fleeing the scene shortly after the shooting and turns his car around at a petrol station.

Footage from a passing bus also shows Dees running away from the scene, before the final clip shows Dees parking his car after trying to remove his car’s metallic black wrap to change its appearance.

After admitting attempted murder, possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life and criminal damage at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this year, Dees was jailed for 21 years.

Detective Sergeant Steven Brown, the officer in charge of the case, said it was a ‘minor miracle’ that the victim was not killed.

He said: "It is nothing short of miraculous that the victim survived from his injuries – we could so easily have been dealing with a murder investigation.

"John Dees proved that he is a danger to society.

“There can be absolutely no question that the streets of Washington are safer with him now behind bars.”

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