Girl, 5, caught in gun crime crossfire

Girl shot in chest is believed to be London’s youngest gun crime victim A five-year-old girl is in a critical condition after she and another passerby were shot during an apparent gang-related attack in a shop in south London. The girl, believed to be London’s youngest gun crime victim, was injured in the chest, and a 35-year-old man was shot in the face. The incident took place at around 9pm on Tuesday at the Stockwell Food and Wine shop in Stockwell Road, Brixton. Police have confirmed that the two victims were not the intended targets of the shooting, which is believed to be connected to local gangs. Just before the shots were fired, witnesses saw two black youths coming from nearby Broomgrove Road, being chased by three other black youths on bicycles. It is understood that the three youths on bikes approached the shop, but did not enter. DCI Tony Boughton from the Met’s Trident taskforce said: “The assumption is at the moment is that the firearm is fired through the open door because there is no damage on the outside.” The shop worker and child were hit as two black youths hid in the store from the other three youths who had been chasing them. As the pair hid inside, the gunman stopped at the door and opened fire indiscriminately. The three attackers, who are thought to be aged between 14 and 17, fled as their intended targets chased them on foot from the Stockwell Road shop along Broomgrove Road and into Stockwell Park Estate. Mareh Silva, age 34, was leaving the Stockwell Food and Wine shop with friends at around 9pm. She said she saw three black youths aged between 14 and 17 drop their bikes outside. She explained how the boys’ faces were covered with black scarves and balaclavas and she could only see their eyes as they ran into the shop. “I looked in and saw a lot of blood on the floor but I didn’t want to look at what had happened, and I was very scared,” she said. DCI Boughton would not confirm if the groups were from rival gangs. He said: “I’m treating it as three young lads chasing two other young lads – we don’t know any affiliations and the assumption is that they are from the local area.” The 35-year-old victim was a worker in the shop, and was not related to the five-year-old, who was at the shop visiting other relatives. The names of the two victims have not been released, but it is understood that both are of Sri Lankan origin. They were taken to King’s College hospital, where they are now in a stable but serious condition. Barny Stutter, 45, co-owner of nearby Brixton Cycles, said workers in the area’s fastfood shops often had similar trouble. “We are absolutely disgusted with what’s happened,” he said. Peter Robbins, one of three Lambeth councillors who represent the area, said, “It is incredibly shocking, I think the whole community at the moment is numb and horrified. “There is a fairly well-known problem with gangs and guns in Lambeth, it is something that the council and the police are working together incredibly hard to solve. There is always more you can do and incidents like this really bring that home.” Rachel Heywood, Lambeth’s cabinet member for community safety, said she found the crime “hugely shocking”. “Tackling serious violence is a major priority for this council. We will of course do everything in our power to assist the police with their investigation. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families at what must be an extremely distressing time.” Anyone with information is asked to call the Metropolitan police on 0300 123 1212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 Gun crime Crime London Camilla Turner guardian.co.uk

Posted by on March 30, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.