Appeal to Turkish and Kurdish communities as girl fights for life after shooting

Appeal to Turkish and Kurdish communities as girl fights for life after shooting

Detectives have appealed for information from Turkish and Kurdish communities as a nine-year-old girl continues to fight for her life following a “reckless” shooting while she ate dinner at a restaurant with her family.

On Friday, the Metropolitan Police issued an image of the motorbike used in the attack in Hackney, east London, which left the child with critical injuries.

The force said two men, aged 44 and 42, who were sitting outside the restaurant during the incident on Wednesday evening, were also injured and taken to hospital for treatment.

One may have suffered life-changing injuries, Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said.

A third man, aged 37, has since been discharged from hospital.

Addressing the girl’s condition, Mr Conway told reporters: “We remain in close contact with our colleagues in the NHS who have worked around the clock to provide urgent care to the victims, including the young girl, who I’m very sad to say remains in a critical condition.”

He said specialist family liaison officers continue to support the girl’s family.

Giving details of the motorbike used in the attack, Mr Conway said: “We know that the offender fired from a motorbike at approximately 9.20pm on Wednesday evening.

“The bike was a Ducati Monster with a white body, red chassis and red wheels.

“Our officers have now established that the motorbike was previously stolen in 2021 from a property in Wembley.

“At the time of the shooting, the bike was displaying the registration plate DP21 OXY.

The motorbike used during the shooting
The motorbike used during the shooting (Metropolitan Police/PA)

“I want to hear from anyone who might recognise it – I’m particularly keen to hear from you if you saw it on the day of the incident.”

Mr Conway described the shooting as “reckless” and appealed to the Turkish and Kurdish communities in north and east London because the three men injured in the incident “have connections to those communities”.

He said: “This shocking attack will have had an element of pre-planning.

“This means there are people out there who know something which may be crucial to our investigation.

“Gun crime has no place on the streets of London and this reckless act has left a young child fighting for her life.

“We are specifically reaching out to our Turkish and Kurdish communities, particularly in north and east London, who I know are shocked and appalled by this crime.

“This is because the three men who were shot have connections to those communities.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.