Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment a hitman on a stolen motorbike targets three men outside a Turkish restaurant in Dalston as a nine-year-old girl was caught in the crossfire, leaving her fighting for her life in hospital.
Three men, aged 26, 37, and 42, were sprayed with bullets last night at around 9.20pm as they sat outside Evin restaurant on Kingsland High Street.
Police said the girl, who was inside the restaurant eating dinner with her family, suffered a gunshot wound and remains in hospital in a critical condition.
The three men, who are not believed to have known the child, are in stable condition, but one potentially faces life changing injuries.
It was also revealed that a stolen motorbike, believed to have been used during the shooting, has been recovered by police.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway pleaded for people to come forward with information, saying: ‘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.’
Detective Conway began his statement by saying ‘it saddens me deeply’ to say that ‘three men and a nine-year-old girl were shot when a firearm was discharged from a motorbike’.
He added: ‘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.’
Detective Conway said: ‘As with any child, she was an innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime.
‘Our thoughts are with her and her family and they are being supported by specialist officers.’
After police arrived at the scene within minutes of the crime, 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’.
Specialist Crime colleagues are now working with the police to conduct fast-time enquiries to ‘identify and apprehend those responsible and to establish the motive behind the shooting’.
Horrifying CCTV footage obtained by The Sun shows the moment the gunman fires bullets at the diners before speeding away down the road.
A diner who was at the Evin restaurant at the time of the alleged shooting told the Hackney Gazette how everyone dived under the tables during the ‘chaos’ and he used his coat to stop the bleeding on someone’s leg.
‘There was a big group having dinner in the rear,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t get my usual table so got one close to the front window.
‘The big group paid up and left and shortly afterwards that’s when the loud bangs – which were obviously gunshots – happened.’
After everyone scrambled on to the floor, the man saw that someone was injured and he used his coat to stop the bleeding on a leg wound.
He continued: ‘I’d say it was around 10 to 15 minutes when the emergency services arrived. Police first, then NHS staff. They were very efficient.’
Earlier today, it was revealed that the child and two of the adults who were among the four shot ‘were from the same family’.
Describing the shooting, one resident said: ‘I don’t know who [they were] targeting – but for a child to be hit? It’s just horrendous. I also heard that two of the adults hurt are the child’s parents, but I’m unsure.’
The man, who did not want to be named, added: ‘I doubt anyone will give you their names – not when this could be gang violence.’
A second resident, who also wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘It’s so awful. I live just down the road so it’s really shocking to hear.
‘I only found out when I walked up here this morning to get my hair cut. To hurt a kid? I mean it’s messed up.
‘It’s the way the world is going these days and I worry if things will continue to get worse.’
Dave Evans told how he had walked passed the Evin Bistro just minutes before the violence erupted.
Mr Evans, 62, said: ‘I was out last night walking my dog. I must have walked passed Evin five minutes before the shooting.
‘I was down the road when I heard the noise. There were six shots. I knew they were gun shots immediately.
‘I walked back up there before the police got there. It was horrendous. There were bodies on the floor. Blood. It was awful.’
Cafe workers told how the Evin Bistro is owned and run by a Turkish family and is popular with local residents.
A waitress, who asked not to be named, said: ‘I know the family at Evin. They are nice people. What happened there is terrible! Shocking! I heard that oriole got shot and a baby! Who can shoot a baby?
Other residents claimed the shooting could be linked to a dispute between rival drug gangs.
One said: ‘It’s got to be a drugs hit.’
Today half eaten food and drinks remained on tables at the Evin Bistro. A half drunk glass of beer, abandoned coffee cups and a plate of mixed starters could be seen behind the police cordon.
Blood splatter in the floor could be seen amongst the upturned tables and chairs at the popular Turkish cafe.
A paramedics green first aid bag and discarded medical gloves were also abandoned at the scene.
Local John Thompson, 57, who has lived in Dalston all his life, claimed parts of the area used to be off-limits due to crime – but it has improved in recent years.
‘Sandringham Road – in the cordon – used to be a massive no-go zone,’ he said. ‘Murders, shootings, stabbings – everything. But I do feel like things have gotten better in the past years, so I’m quite surprised to see this.
‘But let’s be honest – it’s Dalston. There are still bad pockets. Like, if you have something expensive on you, just don’t come in the area. I had my bike stolen in the middle of the day – in front of everyone. But this? This is just awful. Horrific.’
Another person Antonia, who did not want to share her last name, was in Nandos at the time and said she heard five or six gunshots and saw a motorcyclist speeding away.
She said: ‘At first everyone didn’t think it was [a shooting], it sounded like a car not working, but we were in Nando’s and we just saw people running past.
‘Everyone stepped out to look and we could see loads of people surrounding that shop.
‘The police took ages to come and prior to that we saw the motorcyclist. He went around Nando’s on that road. We kind of just wanted to get out of there.’
Another eye-witness who was on Kingsland High Street after the shooting posted a video to social media, saying: ‘Someone just got shot five times in Hackney, Dalston.’
Police sirens can be heard in the background as a large group of people stand outside Evin restaurant.
Martha, a nearby resident on the high street told MyLondon that she heard four shots: ‘We heard the shooting and we saw people coming gathering there and we saw ambulances and police cars but nothing else.’
‘You don’t really realise or think that it’s gun shooting. We heard noise – it could be a car, it could be anything. We were worried but not straight away. Then we saw people shouting and the ambulance so then we started to realise. It came out of nowhere.’
Miklos, a nearby resident of 20 years: ‘Its shut down like this maybe once every two months’
When asked if he thought it was gang violence: ‘Well that’s what came to mind right away. If it’s not then it’s even worse’
Do you feel safe living here? ‘No not so much anymore because I’ve got a child as well, I just dropped her in nursery.’
A nearby cafe worker said: ‘The shooting came from someone on an electric bike. it was automatic shooting, multiple shots. And innocent people got hit. One of them was targeted, there were three adults and a child’
Local shopkeeper on Kingsland High Street Tahir Sandh told MyLondon at these scene: ‘How can it be possible? We are in London and somebody comes and shoots people. It gives me a very unsafe feeling.’
Earlier this morning, forensic officers were pictured outside the Turkish restaurant gathering evidence as a police cordon remains in place on Kingsland High Street.
Yesterday night officers, including specialist firearms officers, and London Ambulance Service rushed to the scene.
The three adults and child were all taken to a major trauma centre at an east London hospital after the attack. No arrests have been made yet and the shooter is still at large.
Detective Conway said today in his statement: ‘The investigation is at an early stage and we are keeping an open mind as to the motive.
‘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.
‘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.
‘If you have any information that could assist our investigation please do the right thing and tell us what you know by calling 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.’
Anyone with information that can help police should call 101 or post @MetCC reference CAD 8082/29May. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.