A gunman “assassinated” a schoolboy after firing into the air to clear crowds at a London park’s family fun day, a witness said on Monday — only hours before a crime thriller was due to start filming.
Families were enjoying a day out when the killer blasted a shot into the sky before firing at his 15-year-old victim shortly after 7pm on Sunday evening.
The boy who was killed was named by police on Monday as Rene Graham.
Police and other emergency services rushed to the scene in Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance in Ladbroke Grove, but were unable to save Rene. Four males aged 21 to 25 were arrested on suspicion of murder and have been released on bail.
At the time of the attack, it is believed more than a thousand people were attending the annual Park Lime event, organised by the Caribbean Music Association, which was billed as a "family fun day" featuring live music, games and face painting.
A witness, 20, said: “Everyone was chilling, having a good time when I heard a shot. A guy shot in the air as a warning, it looked like so people would clear out of the way. Then everyone scattered, we ran. When the cries cleared he shot the boy. He was on the ground.
“Everyone was running and taking cover, it was mad. It was targeted, it looked like an assassination. There are lots of problems between the Harrow Road gang and rivals around here.”
Another witness added: “I heard two bangs then the boy collapsed on the ground. It looked like he had been hit in the chest. There was sheer panic, everyone was running. The next thing there were sirens and police everywhere. It had been a nice event, no problems, then carnage.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, in charge of policing for Kensington and Chelsea, said: “A young boy has tragically lost his life and our thoughts remain with his family and friends at this devastating time. We will continue to provide them with specialist support.
“This investigation is at an early stage and we are keeping an open mind as to the motive. It will take us some time to establish the facts and this will be our priority in the coming days.
“Tragic incidents like this remind us whey it is so important that we continue our unrelenting focus on suppressing violence and gun crime, and catching the offenders who endanger our communities.”
A mother-of-two who was also in the park added: “I heard two shots and everyone was running, there was screaming and a boy laying on the ground. It was terrible. I have young boys and I’m scared for their lives every time they go out. It’s like bandit country around here.”
Forensic specialists and Met officers were on Monday searching for clues, including bullet casings and CCTV footage from around the scene, next to the Kensal New Town estate.
A forensic tent marked the spot where the boy was shot and a police cordon remained in place.
The Met said the victim had been found “suffering injuries” when officers arrived and had been pronounced dead at the scene “despite the best efforts of the emergency services” to save him.
It appealed for anyone with information about the killing to contact the force and added: “Six males have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody.”
A film crew for crime thriller Fuze, starring Theo James and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, was on Monday morning forced by a police cordon to delay the start of their planned filming at the park. The film is a heist movie set during the Second World War in which thieves use an evacuation due to an unexploded bomb to carry out their raid.
One of the crew said: “It’s very sad what had happened and a sad irony that we are filming a crime thriller at this spot.”
Emslie Horniman's Pleasance is known locally as “Teletubbies Park” due to the brightly coloured children's play area.
The park had been hosting the annual “Park Lime” event - which is organised by the Caribbean Music Association and bills itself as a “family fun day” with music and food stalls.
Hundreds of people including families with children had attended the event prior to the shooting.
The Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance attended and a teenager believed to be 15, was found suffering injuries.
Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Six men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody.
Video on social media showed police and paramedic vehicles outside the park.
A local posted on the Ladbroke Grove community Facebook page that the assailant jumped from the bushes and opened fire.
She wrote: “My teens where there as well as my brother. Who of which saw the guy come from the bushes and fired the gun in the crowd. Was right next to him. Just saw a video of the poor boy with the paramedics, just for going to a party and having fun, he lost his life.
“Can't imagine how the parents are feeling, my god.”
Another witness told the Standard: “I saw some guys arrested on my building.
“Armed police came and handcuffed them. They were aged around 18-20. It was not long after the shooting. They were shouting ‘armed police’ and put them all in a van.”
Pastor Lorraine Jones, whose son Dwayne died aged 21 after he was attacked protecting a boy in Brixton, visited the scene to support the community.
She said: “Gun crime has been creeping up. People come out to a family event and a boy has died. It’s the height of madness. Ruthlessness that’s unimaginable.
“I was the mum who got that knock to say their son is dead. It’s the knock you don’t want, unimaginably painful.”
Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, head of Kensington and Chelsea council, visited the crime scene on Monday morning.
She said: “It’s just horrible, a child had lost their life. It was supposed to be a family day out. I have come to show my support to the community.”
A woman who was at the event with her family said a lack of security had led to the evacuation of the park following the shooting was a “shambles”.
The mother said: “There were only two security guards and they failed to clear the park. We were at the back and were not told someone had been shot just that there was gunfire.
“No one could here the DJ telling people to leave and the party continued as the boy lay dying. The ambulances were blocked and the air ambulance couldn’t land.
“People were dancing and laughing while just metres away a boy had been shot. Us residents demand an inquiry into the lack of security.”
She added: “I saw a boy arrested later there were armed police with him. I overheard him arguing with police”.
