• May 30, 2024

Malayali girl seriously injured in shooting incident in London

LONDON May 30: A 10-year-old Malayali girl was seriously injured in a shooting at Hackney in London at 9.20 pm on Wednesday said reports. According to reports, a Malayalee girl, was shot at.

According to police a child and three adults were left injured after a suspected drive-by shooting outside a Turkish restaurant in Dalston. The child is reported to be from Kerala.

The injured girl belonged to a Malayali family that had been living in Birmingham for more than two years.

Metropolitan Police officers were called at around 9.20pm on Wednesday to reports of the shooting near Evin restaurant on Kingsland High Street in east London.

Witnesses say a motorcycle drove by and sprayed bullets in the direction of the diners, before speeding away down the road.

All four victims were rushed to a major trauma centre at an east London hospital, where the child remains in critical condition.

Deputy assistant commissioner Matt Ward said: “We know Londoners will be shocked by what has taken place tonight.

“Our thoughts go to all those affected.

“Fast-moving enquiries are underway and we will update as soon as we can. If anyone has any information, please contact us.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We sent resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, incident response officers and members of our tactical response unit.

“We also dispatched a trauma team from London Air Ambulance, which consisted of a doctor and a paramedic in a car.

“We treated three adults and one child at the scene before taking them all to a major trauma centre.”

A shopworker said a waitress at the Turkish restaurant told her the family were dining alfresco when a motorbike let off five shots.

She told The Independent: “I heard gunshots like five. It sounded like pow, pow, pow. I hit the panic button and the shutters came down and I locked everyone inside.

“The waitress told me the family were sitting down and eating when they were shot. There is an outside area. It could’ve been anyone hit.

“I walked past a bullet on the floor and the police told me not to step on it. I was very close. Someone came in said it was a child was shot as well. I was on the phone to security and was just crying at the same time.

“It was so scary you have to be worried when passers-by are hit. It could’ve been anyone. This area is always packed with families, especially in half-term.”

Caroline Woodley, mayor of Hackney, said: “This was a shocking attack, and my thoughts are with those affected and their families.

“I understand the deep concern that will be felt across Dalston, and we will be here to support the community as more details emerge.

“We are now closely supporting the police’s investigation. This incident took place in a busy part of our borough and I would urge anyone with any information to come forward.”