Flowers have been removed from the scene where a gangster was gunned down amid fears they could provoke revenge attacks.
The Strand member Joseph Thompson, 32, died in a hail of bullets in an early morning ambush that left another 27 year-old man fighting for his life in hospital.
Nine bullet casings were found at the bloodied scene in Norris Green, Liverpool, which has become a shrine for Mr Thompson, who was himself the prime suspect in the murder of a rival.
Detectives are investigating whether the dad-of-four is latest victim in a series of gang-related shootings that have plagued the area.
Since he was shot in the tough inner city suburb of Norris Green in Liverpool, flowers, scarves, cards and photographs have been left by friends and family where the gunman struck.
But police have removed them because they believe that in such sensitive cases when tensions are running high their could be an increase in violence.
Chief Supt Jon Ward, of Merseyside Police, said local residents in the Ravensthorpe Green area have raised concerns about the tributes since the incident at 1am last Thursday (14th June).
He said: "Family and friends have had several days to pay their tributes to the victim, but due to concerns raised in the community it was decided to remove the tributes.
"They have potential to raise tensions in the area.
"Any non-perishable items recovered from the tributes - these include scarves, cards and photographs - will be given to the family.
"We want the area to get back to normal as quickly as possible and we will continue to take robust action against those involved in gun and gang crime."
Armed police have been patrolling the area.
Detectives believe that there is a link between an incident where shots were fired at a house on Haselbeech Crescent in the days before Mr Thompson's murder.
He was arrested along with his 21 year-old brother Jamie 'Mac' but they were released without charge only for the older sibling to be gunned down 48 hours later.
A 38 year-old mum and her 17 year-old son were arrested and quizzed over the shooting but have since been released on police bail.
A sawn off shotgun and ammunition for a 9mm handgun were found at their home and Merseyside Police have pledged to disrupt gang life in Liverpool.
But they have encountered a "wall of silence" similar to the one put up around the community when Rhys Jones was fatally shot as he played football in August 2007.
The Everton FC mad youngster was caught in the cross-fire of Sean Mercer's bullet fired at a rival Nogger Dogz, also from Norris Green, member.
The ex-Croxteth Crew killer, 16, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 after an investigation finally smashed a web of duplicity among his family, friends, and scared residents.
