Police are investigating after shots were fired at the home of a Labour councillor in Sheffield.

A police cordon was in place outside the house belonging to Mohammad Maroof, who is standing for re-election in the Nether Edge and Sharrow ward on 2 May. The shots were fired at a window and the front door in the early hours of Tuesday.

Jim Steinke, a fellow Labour ward councillor, said he had spoken with Maroof and the police. “He was obviously shaken up and we are concerned about his safety because he is standing for election and he has a young family,” Steinke said.

John Mothersole, the chief executive of Labour-led Sheffield city council, said: “The alleged firearms incident this morning is clearly an act of criminality and the investigation into this is being dealt with by South Yorkshire police. At this stage, we do not believe there is any political motivation for the incident.”

A neighbour told the Sheffield Star she heard a loud bang at about 3.20am, and claimed it was not an isolated incident.

“It’s scary. I live just up the road and walked past this morning with my kids and they saw the gunshot holes in the window and asked what they were. How do I explain it to them? It’s happening far too often and it’s really worrying,” said the woman, who did not want to be named.

In a statement, South Yorkshire police said officers were called to a property in the Nether Edge area in the early morning after reports of shots being fired.

“Police attended the scene and found damage to a window consistent with shotgun discharge. The area was searched but the offenders could not be located,” the force said.

“Inquiries are ongoing and there is an increased police presence in the area as our officers continue their investigation.”

Anyone with information should call South Yorkshire police on 101 and quote incident number 111 of 23 April.