Teen Shot Dead In Case Of 'Mistaken Identity'

Gunmen who shot dead a teenager as he sat in his car with his brothers in east London had mistaken him for somebody else, police have said.

Joseph Burke-Monerville, 19, and his twin brother were in the back of the parked car when three shots were fired into it on Hindrey Road, Clapton, on Saturday evening.

Mr Burke-Monerville was rushed to hospital but died later, while his twin brother was uninjured.

Their 22-year-old brother, who was in the front seat, was also shot and was taken to hospital in serious condition.

Mr Burke-Monerville and his brothers had no known links to gangs, Scotland Yard said.

"This looks like a tragic case of mistaken identity," said Detective Superintendent Gordon Allison of Operation Trident, which tackles gang-related crime.

"They have parked just opposite a shop - we believe they were going to go into the shop and make a couple of purchases and then they were going to go home.

"They have been approached by the two suspects, a short conversation has taken place and as a result of that, three shots were fired into the vehicle, resulting in the fatal injury of the victim."

Police have made no arrests but are hunting for two suspects who were seen running from the scene.

Mr Burke-Monerville, who was from the Islington area in north London, was studying forensic science at London Metropolitan University, according to his Facebook page.

Witnesses said they had heard three gunshots.

Zach Carpenter, 18, saw two men wearing bandanas across their faces enter Hindrey Road before he heard three loud bangs.

The Aberystwyth University student, whose family has lived in the area since he was 10 months old, said there were known feuds between gangs on rival estates.

"It's not so much a war, more of a feud between the Pembury and Nightingale estates, and another one," he said.

Another resident, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said: "With this happening now, I don't think people will feel safe.

"There have been shootings here before but this is the first murder."

Hindrey Road remains cordoned off, as police officers patrol the area.

A post-mortem is scheduled to take place later.