Police are hunting a killer after a man was shot dead in broad daylight in south London.
Police officers were called to Sydenham Road in
London at around 3:45pm on Sunday afternoon after being alerted to suspicious activity.
Shots were later heard and armed
police and the London Ambulance Service were called to the scene, Metropolitan Police have said.
A man in his 20s was discovered with gunshot wounds and he died at scene at 3:50pm.
The force said no arrests have yet been made and that a police presence remains at the scene.
Two men drinking in a nearby pub heard one gunshot, but believed it to be a car backfiring.
They said they had not heard any commotion before or after the shot.
One man, who did not want to be named, told PA Media: “We’ve heard three or four different stories - we’ve heard it was a guy on a moped, someone in a car and then that the (victim) did it to himself.”
Adam Cornish, 37, who lives close to the scene, said the area had been largely unaffected by rising levels of violence elsewhere in the capital.
Mr Cornish, who has a two-year-old daughter, said: “I’ve lived here for five-and-a-half years - you get a few idiots driving up and down too fast but nothing like this.”
Wayne St John, who lives nearby with his wife and 22-year-old daughter, also said it was a very safe area.
But he added: “There was a burnt out car a few days ago down by the traffic lights (on Sydenham Road). It was left there for about three days.”
Ellie Reeves, the
Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, has tweeted her shock and sorrow at the incident. She wrote: “Shocked and saddened to learn of the fatal
shooting in Sydenham this afternoon.
“My thoughts are with the victim and their family. This violence has no place in our community.”
Shocked and saddened to learn of the fatal shooting in Sydenham this afternoon. My thoughts are with the victim and their family. This violence has no place in our community. pic.twitter.com/B0d53MSTnK— Ellie Reeves (@elliereeves) September 8, 2019
Residents living nearby have said they heard reports of a car chase ending outside Lloyds Bank.
Metropolitan Police continue to investigate a fatal shooting in Venner Road, Sydenham. Witnesses report a car chase which ended outside Lloyds Bank. A gun was drawn by one of the people involved in the car chase before a single shot was fired. #MetPolice#Sydenhampic.twitter.com/AhhH7mgzwA— Andrew Chang (@achang4achange) September 8, 2019#LewishamBREAKING: A young man in his 20s has been shot dead in broad daylight. Met Police say they were called at 3.45pm to Sydenham Road, #SE26 where a man was found with gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.50pm. Continued below. pic.twitter.com/AQVeG7cI5d— London 999 Feed (@999London) September 8, 2019Police remain at the scene and are hunting the killer.
Anyone with any information is urged to call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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