Two men have died and a third has been left fighting for life after a shooting in Ilford.
The Metropolitan Police was called shortly after midnight on Tuesday to Henley Road following reports that shots were fired.
Armed officers and paramedics were among the first responders but one of the victims, a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim died shortly after.
Police say they know the identity of the victim in his 20s but work is ongoing to identify the second man. Officers are working to inform the families of the victims.
The third victim, aged in his 30s, was taken to hospital, where he is fighting for his life.
There have been no arrests and enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.
Crime scenes and road closures are in place on and around the Henley Road area.
A man in a “joker mask” was seen smashing his way through gardens neighbouring a house where two men were shot dead and a third left critically injured in east London according to reports.
A neighbour told the Telegraph they had seen a man “wearing all black and a black Joker mask with a plastic nose” running through the neighbouring gardens just after the shooting.
“My son aged nine was watching the fireworks and then saw a man wearing all black clothing with a joker mask run through the garden,” he said.
“He broke the fence of the next door garden and was running across the extensions.”
Shama Ahmad, 50, whose flat is just yards from where two men were shot, has been left “shaken” by the incident.
She said: “I live in a flat upstairs here, I heard some screaming, shouting, and I was a bit shaken by the screams but this is very common around by his area.
“I just looked from my window upstairs and the police and the helicopter above.
“There was fireworks going right in front of my flat so with the fireworks the shots weren't heard at all.
“There was this celebration, Diwali thing, going on, and fireworks, so you couldn't hear the shots.”
Giving an update on the shooting inspector David Holgate said officers share the concern of the community as he called for witnesses to come forward.
He added that the third victim remains in critical condition after being rushed to the hospital after the shooting last night.
“Our thoughts are very much with their families today,” Mr Holgate said.
“I can confirm that at this stage there are no arrests, there are a number of crime scenes in place.
“We understand that the community will quite rightly be shocked by this horrific incident and we share in their concerns however I can assure that my dedicated colleagues from the specialist crime command are working at pace to collect evidence and identify the suspects.”
The shooting comes after a murder investigation was launched last week after a woman in her 50s was stabbed to death 15 minutes away in Newham.
Officers were called to a home on Windmill Lane and found two women suffering from stab injuries.
The force said it was urgently searching for a man who is believed to have been known to both women.
Chief Inspector Lisa Parker of the Met’s North East basic command unit (BCU) said: “My thoughts and sympathies are with both of these women as well as their friends and family.
“I know that people in Newham and in particular those in the Stratford area will be shocked and concerned by this tragic incident.
“I share their concern and can assure them that specialist detectives are working at pace to identify and arrest whoever was responsible.
“Local officers will be patrolling the area, and I urge anyone with information or concerns to speak with those officers. They are there to protect and support you.”
Any witnesses or those with information, video or images about the shooting in Ilford should call 101 or tweet @MetCC ref CAD 99/25 Oct.
