A man in his 20s was fatally gunned down while standing on the street in Battersea on Thursday evening.
Detectives on Friday launched an urgent murder probe after the shooting in Shuttleworth Road at 9.50pm.
Witnesses described how paramedics battled to save the victim’s life as terrified residents looked on.
The shooting took place outside Gaitskell Court on Shuttleworth Road.
A mother-of-four said: “We heard at least one bang it was like fireworks but a deeper sound. The next thing the estate was flooded with police and everybody was in a panic.
“It wasn’t even that late, a lot of people were up and about. My youngest kids started crying, it was awful. There have been stabbings around here but a shooting, that’s another level.”
Forensics teams are scouring for clues while detectives are collecting CCTV footage from around the crime scene to piece together how the shooting unfolded.
A resident whose flat overlooks the scene said: “The paramedics worked very hard, there was a crowd of people sone were sobbing, I guess they were family or friends.”
The victim’s next-of-kin have been informed while no arrests have yet been made. Formal identification and a post-mortem are set to take place later.
Met Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “This is a tragic incident where a young man has lost his life whilst standing on a street in Battersea.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends as they continue to struggle with this terrible news.
“Detectives are working at pace to gather as much information as possible and I would ask anyone who was in the area and saw events unfold, or anyone who has captured this on phone or doorbell footage, to contact police immediately.”
Flowers were laid by the victims’ friends at the scene as police stepped up patrols around the area.
A resident said: “There was a stabbing not far from the spot a while back. There’s always something and a lot of violence in the area.
“I’ve lived here for decades but it’s changed so much I wouldn’t have chosen to stay here all those years back if I knew the atmosphere would become so bad.”
Any bullet casings recovered from the scene could prove vital to the investigation.
A crime scene tent where the young man lay with fatal injuries is still in place while a cordon remains around the estate.
Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland, a senior officer covering the borough, said: “This murder will come as a terrible shock to the local community who will be waking up to this news.
“I want to reassure them that experienced homicide detectives from the Specialist Crime Command will be working tirelessly to find out who is responsible, and we will offer them all the support we can.
“There will be an enhanced police presence in the area over the coming days, and I would ask that the local community in Battersea speak with officers.
“Please tell us if you saw or heard anything, or wish to raise any concerns. I would also like to thank local residents for their cooperation whilst the crime scene is in place.”
