Family of Swedish man shot dead in Battersea tell of shock and grief

The family of a Swedish man who was murdered in front of his wife and child on Christmas Eve have said they are in "a state of shock" over his death.

Flamur Beqiri, 36, was returning to his home in Battersea, in south-west London, with his family when he was gunned down at around 9pm.

In a statement released through Scotland Yard, his family said: "We thank everyone for their kind thoughts and condolences.

"Our family are in a state of shock and are grieving. To have so much sadness at this time of the year is heartbreaking.

"We would kindly ask that you respect our privacy and let us grieve in peace."

Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson said Mr Beqiri may have been "involved in some criminality in Sweden", but said his "wife and very young child, bore witness to this horrific attack and are coming to terms with having their world turned upside down".

Mr Beqiri was shot multiple times by a lone suspect, who then fled on foot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Scotland Yard said Mr Beqiri, a Swedish national of Albanian heritage, had been living in London for four or five years.

DI Stevenson said: "Work is ongoing to determine what the possible motive could be, and while we retain an open mind, we are considering that this is a targeted attack.

"While I am mindful of concerns from the local community, we do not believe at this stage that there is any ongoing risk to members of the public.

"We believe Flamur may possibly have been involved in some criminality in Sweden, and are in liaison with our Swedish counterparts to try to understand what, if any, incidents there may have been that might have led to someone seeking retribution against Flamur in the UK.

"I would reiterate that we are in the very early days, and there is a lot of discussion that I will not comment on.

"What is most important now is getting justice for Flamur's family."

He added: "Not only would many people have been out going about their business, but I am sure many residents would have been alarmed by the sound of the disturbance and gone to see what had happened."