A nine-year-old Indian-origin girl believed to be from Kerala is in critical condition after suffering a gunshot wound in a drive-by shooting from a motorbike in United Kingdom's east London. The Metropolitan Police reported that the girl was having dinner with her family inside a restaurant on Kingsland High Street, Hackney when the incident occurred on Wednesday night. Three men, aged 26, 37, and 42, who were sitting outside the restaurant, were also shot and are in stable condition, though one potentially faces life-changing injuries.
“A nine-year-old girl, who was inside the restaurant having dinner with her family, suffered a gunshot wound and she remains in hospital in a critical condition. Our thoughts are with her and her family and specialist officers are supporting them,” Met Police Detective Chief Superintendent (DCS) James Conway said, as reported by news agency PTI.
ALSO READ: Crowds Flee Sydney Shopping Mall After Multiple Stabbings, Shooting Reported
“We do not believe that the girl and the men injured were known to each other. As with any child, she was an innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime...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,” he also said.
London’s Malayali Community Says Victim Is Kerala-Origin Lissel Maria
Reports from London’s Malayali community have identified the girl as Lissel Maria, the daughter of Vinaya and Ajeesh from Kochi, Kerala. The family was dining in a busy east London neighborhood when the suspected gang-related shooting occurred, causing shockwaves within the community.
“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,” DCS Conway underscored. He claimed that his officers arrived on the scene within minutes of the crime being reported, setting up crime scenes at Colvestone Crescent and Kingsland High Street. It was there that they found a stolen motorcycle that had been used in the shooting.
“The investigation is now being led by our Specialist Crime colleagues, and we are supporting them with specialist local officers, as they conduct fast-time enquiries to identify and apprehend those responsible and to establish the motive behind the shooting,” said Conway, PTI reported. "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," he added.
The police confirmed that they are keeping an open mind regarding the motive and that the investigation is still in its early stages. Investigators have requested any video from a phone or other device and are eager to locate any additional witnesses who may have been in the vicinity at the time of the incident.
The police also announced that, as part of their efforts to combat violence and gun crime, there will be a significant police presence in this area, including armed officers, to reassure and support the local community.