Shop’s CCTV captures four fleeing scene after fatal attack

Four people have been caught on CCTV fleeing the scene of a murder in east London.

The victim, a 22-year-man, suffered knife and gunshot wounds, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Emergency services were called to Church Road, Manor Park, just before 9.30pm but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

A cordon and a forensic tent remained in place on Tuesday morning, while locals said officers had been making house-to-house inquiries into the early hours.

CCTV footage from a local convenience store showed four people running from the scene at 21.25 – according to the clip’s timer.

One person in tan trousers ran ahead, followed by the three others in dark clothing.

The faces of the four who fled Church Road were partially obscured by the shop’s awning.

Emergency services arrived within two minutes of the incident.

Officers have yet to make an arrest in connection with the killing.

Residents said the area, in the London Borough of Newham, had a problem with drug dealing and that they had been repeatedly forced to call the police.

Muhammed, 45, who did not wish to give his last name, said: “I didn’t hear anything, but I came outside when I saw the lights. It must have been about 9.30pm.

“Violence is quite common round here – my wife gets scared. So many times we’ve asked them to put (CCTV) cameras up.

“The police have come so many times. Thousands of times they have come and everybody here sees the trouble.”

He said he had heard gunshots in the street a few months ago close to a house he believes is used for drug dealing.

“Three or four cars pulled up the way those (drug dealers) do – they use this one house, that’s why the come here a lot,” he said.

Muhammed said he believed the victim may be a member of the Somali community because a group of Somalians had attended the scene on Monday evening.

Uddin Gias, 49, was in Church Road at around 9.45pm on Monday after evening prayers.

He told the Press Association that the victim’s mother had visited the scene just after the killing.

He said: “Two Somalian boys were standing by the police tape – they told me his mother was in a parked car just there.

“I didn’t think it was right to speak to her.”

A passer-by, who did not give his name, said he knew the victim by sight, describing him as “a little lad”.

He said a dispute between groups of youths had been going on for a couple of days.

Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz tweeted: “My deepest condolences to his family today following a devastating incident last night in Manor Park, @NewhamLondon.

“Myself and the Deputy Mayor @grayee, were at the scene last night providing reassurance to local residents and those there who knew the victim.”

Detective Inspector Alison Cole, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, said: “A number of people have already spoken with officers and I am grateful for the information they have provided, but there are still pieces of the puzzle surrounding this murder that are missing.

“If you were in the area at the time of the incident and saw or heard anything relating to this senseless loss of life please contact police immediately.

“At this early stage we believe that the victim was approached by three males who inflicted the injuries and fled in the direction of Browning Road.

Prime Minister Theresa May recently held a summit on knife crime following a spate of bloodshed across London and the rest of England since the start of 2019.

Police have appealed for any witnesses to the Newham incident to contact them on 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers.