A nine-year-old girl remains in a critical condition in hospital a week after being shot in the head at a Hackney restaurant, police have revealed.
The girl was one of four people shot when a lone gunman riding a stolen motorbike opened fire at Evin Turkish restaurant in Kingsland High Street, Dalston, last Wednesday.
She and her family, from Birmingham, had been on a half-term trip to London and were “simply having dinner with her family” when the “horrific” drive-by happened, said police.
Detectives believe the shooting was linked to a Turkish organised crime network operating in London, but no arrests have yet been made.
The girl’s grandmother said over the weekend her granddaughter was on a ventilator, and that doctors had so far been unable to remove the bullet that had struck her.
A family friend told MailOnline on Sunday doctors had begun to reduce her sedation, and she had shown signs of responsiveness including squeezing her father’s hand.
But police said on Wednesday she remained “in a hospital bed fighting for her life” and in a “critical” condition, as they made another emotive appeal for witnesses.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said on Wednesday: “Our investigation team has been working tirelessly to piece together what happened and to identify the dangerous individual responsible for this shocking and indiscriminate act of violence.
“We will always be directed by the evidence and a critical line of enquiry has been the potential link to Turkish-originating organised criminal networks.
“Sadly, a nine-year-old girl who was simply having dinner with her family is now in a hospital bed fighting for her life. It is therefore important we find out the details of the individual who carried out this horrific attack and those involved in the planning.
“Our investigation continues at pace but, if you have information, if you know who was involved, you can do the right thing and share the information with us completely anonymously.
“You might be a friend, partner or a family member of someone that you suspect may be involved. I urge you to search your heart to understand if your loyalty to friends or associates extends to covering up for an innocent child being shot.
“Our young victim remains in a critical condition. Specialist family liaison officers continue to support her family through this terribly difficult time and our thoughts remain with her and her family.
“It is very clear that this attack has had a devastating impact on the family. On their behalf we ask that their privacy is respected in such difficult circumstances.”
Earlier this week, the Times reported how a man believed to be the intended target of a shooting said he wished he had been shot instead of her.
The man - who is understood to be linked to the Turkish criminal underworld - was reportedly outside Evin Turkish restaurant just a quarter-of-an-hour before a gunman opened fire.
The 37-year-old returned to find three of his friends suffering bullet wounds, while a nine-year-old girl who had been dining with her family had been shot in the head, The Times reported.
Police say a long motorcyclist fired a number of shots towards the restaurant, on Kingsland High Street, around 9.20pm on May 29.
As well as the nine-year-old girl who was shot, three men aged 37, 42 and 44 who were sitting outside the restaurant were also shot.
They have since been discharged from hospital, though one faces life-changing injuries.
Police have released details of the stolen motorbike used in Wednesday’s shooting, as they appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
The Ducati Monster had a white body, red chassis and red wheels, and had been stolen from a property in Wembley in 2021. At the time of the shooting it bore registration plates DP21 OXY.
Detective Chief Superintendent Conway appealed directly to local Turkish and Kurdish communities, urging anyone with information about the shooting or events leading up to it to “please come forward and speak to police”.
“We are particularly keen to hear from you if you saw this motorbike on the day of the incident,” he added. “Or if perhaps you saw it being parked up in a driveway or any other specific locations.
“Over the last week, there have been additional patrols conducted by local officers, supported by colleagues from the Met’s Turkish Police Association and specialist firearm officers, to provide reassurance and a visible presence in the local area.”
On Wednesday evening, a week on from the attack, police were set to visit the local community to carry out an in-person appeal for witnesses.
Anyone with information can call 101 or our dedicated incident room on 020 8345 3865 or pass information on anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online via crimestoppers-uk.org.
