Girl, eight, shot while in car with her parents and two-year-old brother or sister

The eight-year-old girl injured in a double shooting in west London was in a car with her parents and two-year-old brother when a gunman opened fire, police have revealed.

Her 34-year-old father has potentially life-changing injuries and the girl underwent surgery on Monday but is in a stable condition, the Metropolitan Police said.

The pair were injured in Southern Row, Ladbroke Grove, west London, just after 5.30pm on Sunday.

Speaking at the scene of the shooting on Monday, Chief Inspector Owen Renowden said: “At around 5.30pm last night we received numerous 999 calls to Southern Row reporting shots had been fired and a number of people in a vehicle had been injured.

“We immediately deployed units to the scene, including local officers from the neighborhood emergency response teams, supported by armed officers from the Specialized Firearms Command.

“Upon arrival, officers located a 34-year-old man and an eight-year-old girl who had suffered serious gunshot wounds.

“Also present in the car were a two-year-old child and a 32-year-old woman, who were fortunately unharmed.”

He thanked the public for coming to help the family and also revealed that a 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Sharon, who was in the area visiting her mother, told the PA news agency: “The man shot straight into a car.

“I was literally coming out the exit to my mother’s apartment building and as I was going out I saw a man shooting the car multiple times.

“He shot straight, at close range, like you were about to open a door, they shot straight into it.

“I was in complete shock and just ran back up the stairs because I was really scared.

“Then I looked and then I heard screaming, and then people came out to call the police.”

Sharon, who did not want to give her surname, added: “I have noticed that it has become a lot less safe for people here in recent years.”

Another witness, aged 64, who spoke to Metro described the girl’s mother screaming.

“I heard shots, and then a woman shouted, ‘My baby, my baby’s been shot’… it makes me sick just thinking about it now.

“There were four or five shots, there was screaming, it’s terrible. A neighbor went outside with a duvet to cover the injured.”

A woman who lived near the crime scene and did not want to be named said she was “scared” after the shooting.

She was cooking in her kitchen and thought fireworks were going off before armed police arrived and discovered what had happened.

Local MP Joe Powell said several incidents in the area recently have left residents in fear.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, the Labor politician who represents Kensington and Bayswater said: “These senseless acts of violence have no place on our streets.

“I know that residents in the local community will rightly be concerned about their safety following several recent incidents in the area.

“We must work together to better prevent these heinous crimes and hold those responsible accountable.”

In a separate incident in August, 15-year-old Rene Graham was shot dead, well away from the scene of Sunday’s shooting, during an event in the run-up to Notting Hill Carnival.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Renowden called on witnesses to come forward, saying: “This is a horrific incident in which two people have been seriously injured, including a young girl who is thankfully in a stable condition this morning.

“I am appealing to members of the public who may have been in the area at the time of the shooting. Did you hear shots last night around 5:30 PM? Have you seen anyone fleeing the area?

“We would like to hear from anyone with information regarding this incident. Your information is important, no matter how insignificant you think it is.”

Witnesses can contact police on 101, quoting reference CAD5238/24NOV, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.