At approx 1540 today a gun was discharged on St Elmo's Road, just off Askew Road W12 - St Elmo's has been taped off and police are searching the area with dogs as I speak. An officer manning the exclusion zone advised one passing resident of these details which were then corroborated by another reader telling me the same thing.
I don't have information of any casualties or injuries, nor of any arrests but I have put in a call to the press office and will update this as I get it.
Can I just, once again, pay tribute to the local people who pass on info to me at times like this. I can see already from what people are searching for on google to get to this blog that there are huge numbers of people wanting to know what has gone on today - by passing it on local people fill that information gap. So thank-you. Just as over 50 of you did a year ago feel free to add any more info in the comments below.
I would also just reflect that it is almost exactly a year ago since Jaabe Roberts was killed on Askew Road round the corner - and Shepherd's Bush does seem to have a growing gun problem with regular incidents like this. Just the time to be cutting police numbers then.
1930 UPDATE - I've just been at the scene and spoken to the Police who are investigating. There is a forensics unit who looked like they had picked up one piece of evidence from the road. The gun discharge took place on the corner of St Elmo's and Valetta Road W12 and the area has been sealed off since then, although they are re-opening the road as we speak. The Police did not feel able to confirm or deny any casulaties but local residents I spoke to did not think anyone had been harmed. Several had heard what they assumed to have been a shot, however.
SUNDAY 1230 UPDATE - A number of people have either left comments here or via Twitter saying that they heard gunshots in the same area last night at around 1.15am. Can I urge any of you who did so to contact the Police and report this - I have spoken to them this afternoon and they don't seem to be aware of anything specific but they are looking into it.
SUNDAY 1300 UPDATE - I've just spoken to Hammersmith CID - in fact they did receive two other calls about it this morning so were aware, and are therefore looking into it - but I would stil urge anyone who heard anything to report it.
TUESDAY 1530 UPDATE - I have just received this statement from the Police in relation to this incident:
"[we] can confirm that at approximately 15:35 hours on Saturday 16 April, police were called to reports of shots fired at St Elmos Road, W12. Officers attended. No suspects or victims were located.This is the latest and I am in close touch with the police over developments so keep coming back. There is still absolutely nothing about this incident in the local press.
"Officers from Trident North Shootings Team are investigating.
"+ A man in his mid-20s was arrested on 19 April in connection with the incident. He currently remains in custody pending further investigation."
A policeman told me at about 17:15 that there had been no injuries, but that "the little rascals have gotten away". Hopefully they'll find some evidence that'll lead them to whoever did this and get another gun off the streets of London.
ReplyDeleteOne day at a time, eh?
Clearly the "little rascals" need to be removed from the streets, as I just heard two gunshots in the vicinity of Askew Crescent it is 1.10am Sunday Morning.....
ReplyDeleteAnyone else hear it???
anon#2 - I trust you reported that?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I heard them from Gayford Rd. Not sure exactly where they were, couldn't see anything from my window and they didn't sound ultra close but definitely nearby.
ReplyDeletePolice and forensics were outside a house on Askew Crescent majority of Sunday afternoon and into the very late night. Probably related to the "activity" from Saturday night. PLease post if anyone has any info as I am a concerned resisdent.
ReplyDeleteI heard the gunshots on St. Elmo at 1:10am, they woke me up so it may have been in a similar spot to the afternoon shooting.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear they have arrested someone.
So I'm guessing that this will be nothing whatsoever to do with the drug dealing from and around the crack houses in Askew Crescent then? As a former member of the Askew Ward Safer Neighbourhood committee, these drug dens, the illegal immigrant teenagers imported to act as lookouts to watch for customers and police and the weapons on the premises are all well known to the police (and I'm sure, the poor people who live around them).
ReplyDelete