Ilford shooting: Man shot dead at close range on busy shopping street in east London

A murder hunt has been launched after man was gunned down at close range on busy shopping street in Ilford.

Paramedics battled to save the 19-year-old who was shot in Ilford Lane shortly after 10pm last night. He was pronounced dead at the scene an hour later.

Witnesses described hearing two gun shots ring out after a fight broke out near the junction of Bedford Road.

A shop worker said: “There was some sort of a gang fight, and two gun shots and then the shooters drove off.

“Armed police come down and blocked off the road.”

Buses were diverted after police locked down a stretch of Ilford Lane following the shooting.

A cordon was still in place in the early hours of this morning as homicide detectives combed the area for evidence.

A Met spokeswoman said: “Police were called by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) on to a report of a man unconscious after being shot in Ilford Lane at the junction with Bedford Road, Ilford.

“Officers attended along with the LAS and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was attended to by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene at 23.22pm.”

Formal identification awaits and next of kin are yet to be informed.

A post-mortem examination will be scheduled in due course.

At this early stage, officers believe the man was sitting in a car when he was shot.

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.