Girl, 13, injured in east London shooting

A 13-year-old girl has been injured in an east London shooting after a gun was fired at the car she was in, police said.

The youngster needed first aid treatment from officers after she was rushed into Bethnal Green police station by a 23-year-old man on Wednesday evening.

Armed police were reportedly seen descending on the area around the station in Victoria Park Square and several roads were sealed off.

The busy station was locked down while the girl received treatment for a minor injury before being taken away in an ambulance.

The victim, who has not been named, remained in an east London hospital on Thursday morning, where her condition was said to not be serious.

Witness Sarah Woolley, 28, who works near the scene told the Evening Standard: "I was opposite the police station when a man in a red T-shirt was assisting police officers by pointing at a car and pointing down the road. I heard something said about a shooting.

"The car was a grey Mitsubishi parked opposite the station. It was facing in the wrong direction. Its sides were dented in and there was a big pool of dark liquid under the car. It wasn't clear who it belonged to.

"At least a dozen police and other station staff rushed out of the building. Everyone was peering into the back window of the car and pointing at something."

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said enquiries were continuing to establish if her injuries were the direct result of the gun being fired at the car the pair were in on Cheshire Street, Bethnal Green, at around 5.50pm.

"Detectives are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information following the discharge of a firearm in Tower Hamlets.

"A 23-year-old man attended Bethnal police station at around 17.50pm on Wednesday, 13 April to report that a firearm had been discharged in the direction of his car.

"The man was accompanied by a 13-year-old girl, who was in the car and had received a minor injury as a result of the incident."

Police said the girl and the man who took her to the police station were "known to each other", although the spokeswoman would not comment on the relationship.

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident as detectives from the Met's Trident and Area Crime Command issued the appeal for witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information should contact detectives from the Trident and Area Crime Command on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.