THE SON of a leader at one of Scotland's biggest mosques has been identified as the victim of a brutal gang shooting in Edinburgh.

Tributes were paid to devout Muslim Mohammed Omar Abdi, whose father was a senior figure at Edinburgh Central Mosque, after it was revealed the 25-year-old was the man gunned down in the upmarket Willowbrae area of the capital.

Two gangs of men brandishing firearms and knives were involved in the incident and police are hunting for at least six men.

Some local residents said they heard six shots as a string of violent assaults and a car-chase through the night ended in the shooting shortly after 1am on Sunday.

Mr Abdi, of Leith, was found wounded in Abercorn Avenue and was taken by paramedics to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he died.

Another man was found bleeding heavily in nearby Paisley Crescent and taken to hospital, but his injuries are not life-threatening.

Police are continuing to sift through evidence after the violence that has shocked residents in the capital.

Police Scotland has received a high number of calls from the public, which are being processed by the force's specialist crime division.

Yesterday the extensive cordon set up around the crime scene was reduced as forensics teams continued to work at the scene.

About 20 police officers carried out high-visibility foot patrols.

A police presence will remain in place until the weekend in an attempt to reassure residents.

Police were keen to stress the murder was an isolated incident and there is no danger to local people.

Several cars parked in the area, including a red Ferrari, were spattered with blood from the shooting.

Community groups urged locals to keep calm and assist police in every way possible.

One of Mr Abdi's friends, Nabeel Mohammad, paid his own tribute by making an appeal for peace in the wake of the violence.

"Thoughts and prayers go out to my brother Abdi Mo," he said. "I had the pleasure of studying with this young man for a year, who from time to time would - talk to me about stories of the prophets and Islam, how he himself did not used to sleep comfortably at night until he had read his last prayer."

He said he wanted to send a message to "all those lads" with reputations to defend in the community, adding that they should "stop hating one another".

Ahmed Yahya Berrada paid an emotional tribute to his friend. He said: "My heart literally bled when I was informed about the loss. I never saw him show anyone anything other than the utmost respect, always smiling and genuine, he spoke soft and laughed with humbleness.

"No-one has the right to take someone's life, just like they took yours."

Abdi Jabril added: "He was always loving life.

"He was the kind to have anyone's back and the kind that deserved a longer life.

"He never showed anything but love, respect and loyalty. The good die young."

Stewart Kerr, secretary of Northfield and Willowbrae Community Council, said local people were worried about what had happened.

He said: "This sort of thing doesn't happen here. It's an area that is normally pretty quiet.

"People will be wary about going out at night-time if they feel this is going to be a regular occurrence. I am sure it's not.

"You know what people are like – you hear so many stories that people put two and two together and jump to their own conclusion."

Mr Kerr said people should keep calm.

He added: "People are helping the police as far as I am aware, but it happened at 1am in the morning so there wouldn't be many people about."

Police said the calls officers had received about the incident were being processed.

Chief Inspector Mark Patterson said: "It is firstly important to remember that incidents like this are incredibly rare within Edinburgh and the capital remains a safe place to live, work and visit.

"However, when such events do occur, it can have a significant impact on the local community and we continue to deploy a large number of officers to the Willowbrae area to speak with residents and address their concerns. In addition, people can approach these officers and pass on information to them."

He described the operation as a "complex investigation and very much still in its infancy" as he thanked the public for the information they had provided. "From the information we have from the witnesses, this would appear to be the result of a disturbance between two groups of black males who we believe to be approximately six in number," he said.

Police were initially called to reports of a road accident at about 1am but when they arrived they found Mr Abdi lying fatally injured next to a smashed-up people carrier.

The second man was found bleeding heavily about a hour later in the same area of the city. He was also taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.