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Islington shooting: Man, 22, gunned down in broad daylight next to children's park named as Imani Allaway-Muir

Imani Allaway Muir, 22: Met Police
Imani Allaway Muir, 22: Met Police

A young man shot dead in north London by a gunman believed to be on a moped has been named.

Imani Allaway-Muir, 22, died near a children’s park in Roman Way, Islington, beside beside Pentonville prison, on Saturday afternoon.

Police were called at around 3.20pm with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and found him suffering from gunshot injuries.

Despite their best attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem examination is due to take place later this week.

Footage from the scene showed a huge police and ambulance presence in the Westbourne Estate.

The police cordon at the scene at Roman Way, Islington (PA)
The police cordon at the scene at Roman Way, Islington (PA)

There have been no arrests as detectives continue to hunt for those responsible, Scotland Yard said.

A man from the area who did not wish to be named said he “knew the victim well”, having heard his identity from a friend before it was released by police.

“He was just one of the younger kids from my area who I knew from my time in hanging around on the Caledonian Road/Bemerton estate, I saw him a few weeks ago near Paradise Park,” he said.

“It’s very sad and I feel for his family… but this young man is probably the tenth person I know from the borough to die due to violence so it’s hardly a shock any more.

“It’s more shocking that he was shot rather than stabbed, if anything.

“The Caledonian Road has a huge problem with gang rivalries… the rivalries are not dying out as the generations change, they are getting worse, and I really don’t have any answers on what we can do to change that.”

Islington resident Emi Koizumi Watson, an American with British citizenship, said she heard “what sounded like nine rounds being rapidly fired”.

Police forensic officers at Vulcan Way on the Westbourne estate, adjacent to Roman Way, Islington (PA)
Police forensic officers at Vulcan Way on the Westbourne estate, adjacent to Roman Way, Islington (PA)

“We assumed it was probably just fireworks because we never hear gunshots here. But we’ve both (Ms Watson and her husband Leon Watson) fired guns before and this sounded like a handgun,” the 46-year-old told PA.

“I went out on the balcony but couldn’t see anything so just came back inside and called my parents on FaceTime to say happy fourth of July.”

While on the call Ms Watson, who has lived in the area for 12 years, then heard a helicopter and sirens and saw an air ambulance arrive nearby.

“I must be still in shock that it’s happened. I don’t know what I feel,” she said.

The shooting has left locals shaken (PA)
The shooting has left locals shaken (PA)

“I’ve just been telling my family how safe the UK is from gun violence compared to the US… my thoughts are with the family and friends of the young man that was killed. How awful.”

DCI Neil John, of Specialist Crime, said: "This was a shocking incident that happened in broad daylight and we believe many people in and around Roman Way would have heard a number of gunshots.

"I would urge anyone that has any information, or video footage, of the area at the time of the incident to contact police.

"The family of a young man have been left devastated by his death and my team of detectives is working relentlessly to identify and arrest those involved.”

A Section 60 order, allowing officers to stop and search people without reason, covered the entirety of Islington and Camden was in place from 2.02pm on July 5 to 04am on July 6.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has video or images that could assist police, is asked to call 101 reference 4432 of July 4.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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