Daylight shooting was an isolated incident say police
The community around Gospel Oak should treat Wednesday s daylight shooting of a man at point blank range as an isolated incident , police say. Officers have flooded the area around Roderick Road after a 30-year-old West Hampstead man, named locally as Ke
The community around Gospel Oak should treat Wednesday's daylight shooting of a man at point blank range as an 'isolated incident', police say.
Officers have flooded the area around Roderick Road after a 30-year-old West Hampstead man, named locally as Kevin Williams was shot at close range as he sat in his car.
Police are trying desperately to reassure the public but most residents remain calm and are confident that the incident was not random.
It has emerged the cold-blooded attack was the third attempt on Mr Williams' life in recent years.
Three years ago he was stabbed 11 times in a vicious attack when two men ambushed him in a Queen's Crescent newsagent. And in January this year it is reported he was rushed to hospital after being shot in the leg.
Officers have been carrying out door to door visits to appeal for information as well as allay residents' fears.
Sgt Chris Downs from Gospel Oak Safer Neighbourhoods Team said: "We believe that this is an isolated incident so it should not cause widespread alarm. The investigation is being handled by specialist officers and we will deal with any community related issues."
Sgt Downs has called an emergency meeting of his citizens' panel to discuss the aftermath of yesterday's shooting.
Police have confirmed today Mr Williams remains in a serious but stable condition. The hunt for the shooter is still ongoing with no arrests having so far been made.
According to witnesses Mr Williams, was sat in the driver's seat of his silver Mercedes when he was shot at close range through the window at 11am. It is believed he was visiting his girlfriend.
Firefighters helped pull the victim from his car before he was taken to an East London hospital by air ambulance.
A young mother, whose 11-year-old son witnessed the shooting, said: "I was in the bedroom when I heard two blasts.
"I didn't know whether it was a shotgun or fireworks.
"My son, who was playing a video game, suddenly came in shaking.
"He just said to me he saw a black guy with a hood shooting another guy in his car."
Another resident from Roderick Road, who wants to remain nameless, said: "I heard two gunshots and a woman scream but no-one knew what was happening.
"I went outside and across the road and there was a silver car with a door open and a window smashed and all the neighbours were there talking.
"Everything seemed normal - you would never have thought there had been a shooting."
Police cordoned off Mansfield Road and part of the Waxham block of flats while forensics teams combed the area for clues.
A huge manhunt was launched to catch the shooter who is believed to have escaped over a footbridge onto Hampstead Heath.
Armed police hovered around Roderick Road but just before 1.30pm yesterday it appeared armed police had received some information that the suspect was close by.
Two officers, armed with machine guns were joined by a dog handler as they sprinted down Agincourt Road towards the Royal Free hospital, leaving shoppers and diners in nearby cafes shocked.
At one point officers were seen jumping into an ambulance to hitch a ride.
A police helicopter also hovered over head.
But Police have since confirmed no arrests have so far been made. Officers from the Met's Trident unit, which specialise in gun crime, are investigating the shooting.
Some residents on Roderick Road were still waiting to get back into the houses more than five hours after the incident.
One man, who asked to remain anonymous said: "This is normally a very very quiet road so this is a quite a shock. Normally when you are at home you don't hear a pin drop. You have this drug culture today, it is endemic everywhere.
"I don't feel in any danger but obviously you have to be aware.