Croydon shooting: Young man dies after being shot in head by motorbike gunman

Shooting: The road in Croydon was closed off
TfL
Mark Chandler10 June 2017
WEST END FINAL

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A young man has died after he was blasted in the head by a gun-toting killer on a motorbike in south London, police say.

Detectives think the 24-year-old was sitting in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen car which was being driven down Wellesley Road in Croydon when the attack happened.

A motorcyclist with a pillion passenger pulled up alongside the car and shots were fired at the vehicle.

The car driver, who suffered minor injuries, took his stricken friend to hospital.

He died on arrival after suffering a gunshot wound to the head, police say.

A large section of the street, a main road through the town centre, was cordoned off by officers as they investigated the scene.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Police were called at 10.06pm on Friday, 9 June, to reports of a shooting in Wellesley Road, Croydon.

“Six minutes later, officers were notified that a 24-year-old man had been taken to a south London hospital suffering a gunshot injury to his head. He died upon arrival at the hospital.”

He said: “Croydon town centre is usually very busy on a Friday night and detectives are appealing for anyone in the area who witnessed the shooting or the events leading up to the incident to contact them.

“No arrests have been made and enquires continue.

“Local road closures are in place and members of the public are advised to avoid the area to enable police to conduct a full examination of the crime scene.”

Sarah Jones, MP for Croydon Central, said: "It's devastating to hear about the fatal shooting in Wellesley Road last night.

I have spoken with the police and we are asking anyone who witnessed anything to come forward. I will be getting a full briefing on this issue shortly. The rise in violent crime in Croydon is something we must tackle."

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8721 4054, dial 101, or tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit the www.crimestoppers-uk.org website.

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