Man arrested after eight-year-old girl shot in Ladbroke Grove

A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a double shooting into a car which left an eight-year-old girl and her father with serious injuries.

They were both taken to hospital following the shooting on Southern Row in Ladbroke Grove at about 17:30 GMT on Sunday, and remain in a serious but stable condition, the Metropolitan Police said.

Both victims sustained “serious gunshot injuries”. The girl is currently in surgery while her father, 34, has potentially life-changing injuries.

Her two-year-old sibling and their mother, 32, were also in the car but were “thankfully unharmed” Supt Owen Renowden told reporters.

He said: “I want to take this opportunity now to thank the members of public who came to the aid of those who were injured last night.”

He added that the investigation is “progressing at pace”, and he wanted to hear from anyone with information about what happened “no matter how insignificant”.

An eyewitness who was visiting her mother in the area said she saw a man shooting “multiple times” during the incident.

“I was literally coming out of the exit to my mum’s block of flats and as I was going out I saw a guy shooting into the car multiple times,” the woman said.

“He was firing directly, like at close range, as if you’re standing to open a door, they were shooting directly into it.

“I was completely in shock and I just ran back up the stairs because I was really scared.

“Then I looked and I heard screaming afterwards, and then people coming out to call the police.”

She added: “I’ve noticed in the last several years, it has become a lot more unsafe for the people here.”

The London Ambulance Service said it arrived within six minutes and treated two patients at the scene before taking them to a major trauma centre as a priority.

Joe Powell, MP for Kensington and Bayswater, said he was “appalled by the shooting”.

He said: “These senseless acts of violence have no place on our streets.”

“I know residents in the local community will be rightly concerned for their safety after several recent incidents in the neighbourhood,” Powell added.

“We must work together to better prevent these horrific crimes from happening, and hold those responsible to account.”

In July, 15-year-old Rene Graham was shot dead two streets away during a pre-carnival event.