A nine-year-old girl is in a critical condition after being the innocent victim of a shooting in Hackney, east London, Chief Superintendent James Conway of the Metropolitan Police said.
Three men aged 26, 37 and 42 were also injured in the incident, which took place last night (May 29). The child is understood to have been inside the restaurant having dinner with her family when the incident took place, it was revealed during a media briefing on Thursday afternoon (May 30).
The three men were also sitting inside the restaurant and were taken to hospital where their conditions are understood to be stable. One of the men is understood to face potentially life-changing injuries.
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DCS Conway said: “It saddens me deeply to say that at 9.20 last night, on Kingsland High Street in Hackney, three men and a nine-year-old girl were shot when a firearm was discharged from a motorbike. I know that local people will be extremely concerned by this incident. We share that concern and an urgent investigation has been launched to identify and apprehend those responsible.
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“Three men, aged 26, 37 and 42, who were sitting outside a restaurant, were taken to hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds. Their conditions are stable, but one potentially faces life-changing injuries. A nine-year-old girl, who was inside the restaurant having dinner with her family, suffered a gunshot wound and she remains in hospital in a critical condition. Our thoughts are with her and her family and they are being supported by specialist officers.
“We do not believe that the girl and the men injured were known to each other. As with any child, she was an innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime. Police arrived at the scene within minutes of the crime being reported. Two crime scenes remain in place – at Kingsland High Street and at Colverstone Crescent, where we recovered a motorbike that we believe was used in the shooting and which we now know to have been stolen.”
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The police have not made any arrests at this point with the investigation said to be at an early stage. The Met has put out an appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
DCS Conway continued: “The investigation is now being led by our Specialist Crime colleagues, and we are supporting them with specialist local officers, as they conduct fast-time enquiries to identify and apprehend those responsible and to establish the motive behind the shooting. The investigation is at an early stage and we are keeping an open mind as to the motive.
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“We are keen to identify other witnesses who were in the area around the scene at the time of the shooting. Similarly, if you were in the Kingsland High Street area at the time of the shooting and have information or footage from a phone or other device, please share that with us. This is a fast-moving, complex investigation, and we will be working closely with our Specialist Crime colleagues to establish the full facts in the coming days.
(Image: PA)
“Locally, people can expect to see a significant police presence in this area, including armed officers, to provide reassurance and support. We will also continue our unrelenting focus on suppressing violence, gun crime, and the offenders who endanger our communities. Events such as these are rarely spontaneous. Someone knows who is responsible for this shooting that has left a little girl fighting for her life.”
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