Police have launched a major manhunt after a triple shooting in a house left two men dead and a third fighting for his life.
The Metropolitan police said the shots were fired in Ilford, east London, shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Police say they were called to reports of a fight in Henley Road, with the London ambulance service telling officers about the incident and finding that three people had been shot.
Armed officers rushed to the scene, where they found a 23-year-old man, who died there. Police said a second man, 30, died shortly after and a third, also in his 30s, suffered life threatening injuries and being treated in hospital.
Roads in the area were closed, with detectives and forensic investigators scouring the area and house for clues, such as shell casings from the bullets fired.
Police said they believed they knew the name of the man in his 20s who was shot dead. Work continues to identify the other men who were shot and police were trying to identify relatives so they could be informed.
Detectives are asking anyone who may have video images of the fight that led up to the shooting and its aftermath, from car dashcams, private CCTV systems and video doorbells, to contact them.
The Met said there had been eight fatal shootings this year, compared with 10 in the same period last year.
Recorded homicides in the Met police area are down this year compared with last year. A total of 88 homicide investigations have been launched in 2022, compared with 109 between January and October 2021. Overall in 2021, there were 131 recorded homicides in the Met area, which covers most of London.
Shama Ahmad, 50, whose flat is close to where the two men were shot, said she believed fireworks for the festival of Diwali had drowned out the gunfire: “I heard some screaming, shouting, and I was a bit shaken by the screams but this is very common around by this area.
“I just looked from my window upstairs and the police and the helicopter above. There was fireworks going right in front of my flat, so with the fireworks the shots weren’t heard at all.”
Dave Holgate, a Met inspector, said: “We understand that the community will quite rightly be shocked by this horrific incident, and we share in their concerns. However, I can assure that my dedicated colleagues are working at pace to collect evidence and identify the suspects.”
Jas Athwal, the leader of Redbridge council, said more police were needed: “We have been complaining about this in my role as London Councils lead on crime and community safety, I made that plea to the new Metropolitan police commissioner only last week and he agrees that we need more police.”
The Met said: “Police were called by LAS [London ambulance service] at 00.16 on Tuesday 25 October to Henley Road, Ilford, following reports of a fight in progress and shots fired. Armed officers were among those responding.
“At the scene officers found three males with gunshot injuries. One of the victims, aged in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Another of the victims died a short time later. Police believe they know the identity of the victim in his 20s. Work to confirm the identity of the other man is ongoing. Officers are working to inform their next of kin. The third victim, aged in his 30s, was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.”
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The Met asks that any witnesses or people with information, video or images that could assist police, should call 101 or tweet @MetCC ref CAD 99/25 Oct.
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