Gunman ‘fired directly into car’ injuring eight-year-old girl

BBC Two police officers stand behind police tape and in front of red-fronted newsagents — A police cordon remains in place on Southern Row in Ladbroke Grove

A gunman was seen firing directly into a car in a double shooting in which an eight-year-old girl and a man were seriously injured, an eyewitness has said.

They were both taken to hospital following the shooting on Southern Row in Ladbroke Grove at about 17:30 GMT on Sunday, the Metropolitan Police said.

An eyewitness who was visiting her mother in the area said she saw a man shooting “multiple times” during the incident.

The girl is in a stable condition with non life-threatening injuries. The condition of the man, 34, is unknown, while a 32-year-old woman was also taken to hospital as a precaution.

“I was literally coming out of the exit to my mum’s block of flats and as I was going out I saw a guy shooting into the car multiple times,” the woman said.

“He was firing directly, like at close range, as if you’re standing to open a door, they were shooting directly into it.

“I was completely in shock and I just ran back up the stairs because I was really scared.

“Then I looked and I heard screaming afterwards, and then people coming out to call the police.”

She added: “I’ve noticed in the last several years, it has become a lot more unsafe for the people here.”

MP Joe Powell said: “We must work together to better prevent these horrific crimes from happening, and hold those responsible to account”

PA Media A uniformed police officer uses a mobile phone while walking past a cordon on part of the street. Several out-of-focus police officers stand in uniform on the right of the image — MP Joe Powell said: “We must work together to better prevent these horrific crimes from happening, and hold those responsible to account”

The London Ambulance Service said it arrived within six minutes and treated two patients at the scene “before taking them to a major trauma centre as a priority”.

No arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing, Scotland Yard said.

Supt Renowden said detectives wanted to hear from anyone with information about what happened, “no matter how insignificant”.

Joe Powell, MP for Kensington and Bayswater, said he was “appalled by the shooting”.

He said: “These senseless acts of violence have no place on our streets.”

Scotland Yard said inquiries are ongoing and there have been no arrests so far

PA Media A police cordon at the scene on Southern Grove in Ladbroke Grove. A row of blue, silver and white cars can be seen on either side of the street which has five blue, red and white police cordons criss-crossing the road — Scotland Yard said inquiries are ongoing and there have been no arrests so far

“I know residents in the local community will be rightly concerned for their safety after several recent incidents in the neighbourhood,” Powell added.

“We must work together to better prevent these horrific crimes from happening, and hold those responsible to account.”

In August, 15-year-old Rene Graham was shot dead two streets away during a pre-carnival event.