Police give major update on London shooting that left girl, 9, fighting for life

Forensics officers conduct fingertip searches at the scene in Hackney (Picture: AP)

A nine-year-old girl who was wounded in a drive-by shooting in east London is still fighting for her life in hospital.

The child was having dinner with family in a restaurant in Hackney and was injured when shots were fired from a motorbike outside, with three men also hurt.

Speaking to reporters there on Friday, Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said: ‘We remain in close contact with our colleagues in the NHS who have worked around the clock to provide urgent care to the victims, including the young girl who I am very sad to say remains in a critical condition.

Two other men, aged 44 and 42, are in a stable condition in hospital, he added, although one faces ‘life-changing’ injuries. A third, aged 37, has been discharged.

Mr Conway went on: ‘Our investigation continues at pace, with a dedicated team of detectives piecing together the facts and an unrelenting focus on tracing those responsible.’

He revealed the bike used in the shooting on Wednesday, which has since been recovered, was a Ducati Monster with a white body, red chassis and red wheels.

The motorbike had been reported stolen from the Wembley area of London in 2021 and at the time of the shooting had the registration plate DP21 0XY.

Mr Conway appealed for anyone who has information on the bike to come forward, adding: ‘This shocking attack will have had an element of pre-planning.

‘This means there are people out there who know something which may be crucial to our investigation.

‘Gun crime has no place on the streets of London, and this reckless act has left a young child fighting for her life.’

Police were called to the scene on Kingsland High Street at around 9.20pm on Wednesday

A business owner said he was ‘stunned’ after seeing a man on the floor following the shooting.

Ayo Adesina, 40, who owns Aso Rock Restaurant, which is located about 80 metres from the incident, noticed a large police presence on Kingsland High Street on Wednesday evening.

He said he was in the area supporting Labour veteran Diane Abbott and visited his restaurant before he heard a series of loud noises which he believes accounted for five or six gunshots.

‘I heard gunshots though at the time I thought it was just a car,’ he said. I looked at the road and I could see there was a whole crowd of people.

‘I got on an e-bike and went up there and saw a man on the floor who wasn’t moving.’

Mr Adesina described the incident as ‘crazy’.

Erim Metto, CEO of the Turkish Cypriot Community Association (left) with Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway (Picture: PA)

Police forensic officers at the scene (Picture: PA)

Cordons in place at Kingsland High Street, Hackney, east London (Picture: PA)

Rodrique Evans, 49, a former housing manager who lives near the restaurant, said: ‘We saw stuff last night.

‘You could hear the helicopter at about midnight.

‘I thought I heard the gunshots, I thought it was a car until I saw the blue (police) lights flying past the window.

‘We have had a few shootings, but there is a point where you get used to it. You become desensitised to it.

‘I’ve seen about 16 shootings and stabbings in the area in the last couple of years.’

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