A drive-by shooting outside a church in the heart of London left a seven-year-old girl with potentially fatal wounds.
On Saturday afternoon, it was said that shots were fired from a moving vehicle at St. Aloysius Church in Euston while a memorial service was taking place there.
A 12-year-old girl and four women, ages 21, 41, 48, and 54, were also hurt, according to the Met Police.
According to the police, the 48-year-old may have permanent injuries.
The three other women’s injuries are not life-threatening and the 12-year-old girl has been treated for a minor leg injury, said the force.
The seven-year-old, who was taken to a central London hospital at about 14:05 GMT, “remains in hospital in a life-threatening condition.”
In a statement, the Met said an urgent investigation was under way and details of the incident were still emerging.
“At this early stage, there have been no arrests,” it said.
Supt Ed Wells said any shooting incident was “unacceptable, but for multiple people, including two children, to be injured in a shooting in the middle of a Saturday afternoon is shocking”.
“Our thoughts are with all the victims, but in particular with the seven-year-old girl. An investigation into this dreadful attack is already well under way,” he said.
“I can assure the communities of Camden and beyond that we will do everything we possibly can to identify and bring to justice those who were responsible.”
He added that there would be “an increased visible police presence in the area through the weekend and into the days ahead”.
Detectives have urged anyone with video footage or CCTV to contact the force.
Road closures were put in place and buses were diverted to allow investigation work to take place.
Father Jeremy Trood conducted the remembrance service at St Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, just before the shooting unfolded.
He confirmed the service was held for Sara Sanchez, 20, who had died from leukaemia, and her mother. They had died within a month of each other in November.
Father Trood said: “I was inside the church. I heard the bang and people ran back into the church. They knew something had happened outside.
“They were very scared, people sheltered in the church until the police said they can leave but some of them were so scared they had to wait a while to get their confidence back up to go outside.”
A resident on an estate near the church, who did not want to give her name, said: “I heard the gunshots.
“I was having a quiet day on my balcony and I heard this almighty bang and I thought this was not normal, and the next minute everyone was screaming and shouting.
“Neighbours came in and said there has been a shooting. What a terrible thing.”
Photographer Simon Lamrock said when he first arrived at the church, people had been evacuated through a side entrance.
“It’s a very busy area. All the local residents had come out to find out what was going on,” Mr Lamrock said.
“There was shock and surprise. That was the mood of people trying to work out what had happened.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the shooting as “deeply distressing” and said he was in close contact with the Met Police.
Source: Aljazeera.com