Stamford Hill shooting: Shocking video shows moment innocent woman is gunned down in 'gangland drive-by'
This is the moment a woman is gunned down as she is caught in the crossfire in an apparent clash between two gangs in front of horrified shoppers in north London.
Footage shows two cars speeding by as the innocent victim is left slumped on the ground in a busy street in Stamford Hill.
Shocked passers by and two people who appeared to be with her are seen moving to help the stricken woman.
The dramatic video shows two vehicles speeding along the bus lane during the incident.
The 38-year-old woman was injured as suspects in two cars exchanged gunfire near Reizel Close around 7.40pm on Tuesday, according to witnesses.
Said Popal, 29, who works opposite, heard two shots ring out before seeing the female slumped on the pavement in front of horrified shoppers and commuters.
Armed police officers and an air ambulance crew were scrambled to the area which has a large Jewish population.
The attackers fled and remain at large. The victim was taken to an east London hospital’s major trauma unit, where her condition is deemed not life-threatening.
Shopkeeper Mr Popal told the Standard: “I heard two shots, ‘bang, bang’. Then I saw a woman on the ground and people shouting and trying to help her.
“She looked in a bad way. Her head was on the pavement. People were trying to help her. There was a big group. The police and ambulance arrived very quickly.
“It’s totally shocking, we have not had a problem like this before. It’s frightening.”
The shot woman was screaming ‘my leg, my leg,’ witnesses said. A local mum said: "My son was standing on the corner. It's a miracle he wasn't hurt.
"He came in and his face was just white. He saw the woman crumple to the ground and heard her screaming ‘my leg, my leg'.
"I heard two deafening gunshots echo around the street a few seconds apart.
"At first I thought they were fireworks but it was the loudest noise I've heard in a long time.
"I saw everyone running into shops and cowering behind walls for safety."
A 52-year-old father said he feared for his young daughter when the incident happened at the end of his street.
He added: “My wife heard two cracks, it sounded like fireworks but then we discovered it was a gun.
“Our daughter, who is 12, was nearby and we were worried but managed to get her on the phone. It was all very frightening.”
A woman, with her children at the time, said: “The lady was laying there. She looked in pain.
“People were a bit scared as they didn’t know if there was still someone around with a gun.
”Residents at the scene described occupants of two moving cars aiming guns at each other and said the victim was an “innocent bystander”.
Bar manager Amelia Grant, 20, ushered drinkers outside nearby Irish pub Mascara to safety.
The cosmetic science student at University of the Arts London, from Stratford, said: "I was on shift when I heard two loud bangsgo off.
"I went outside to see what was happening and something didn't feel right. People were running so I moved everyone inside to the back of the bar.
"Instinct kicked in as I've done training on how to deal with terrorist attacks through Hackney Council.
"Obviously we feared the worst. My boss has been really good about it and given me a few days off. For something like this to happen in broad daylight on a mainroad is scary."
A witness told MailOnline one vehicle sped off in the direction of Clapton Common, a park half a mile away, where two more shots were reportedly heard.
Metropolitan Police are appealing for witnesses.
Detective Inspector Dave Hickford of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “We are working hard to establish the full circumstance surrounding this incident and following initial enquiries we do not believe that the victim was the intended target.
“I urge anyone with information to get in touch without delay, help us take dangerous criminals off your streets.”
There have been no arrests. Enquiries continue.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, local policing lead for Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: “This was an extremely concerning incident for our communities and illustrates just how indiscriminate the danger of gun crime can be.
“I urge anyone with information about this incident to contact my local officers or our colleagues in Specialist Crime who are leading the investigation.
“This incident created additional concern, given the proximity to our large Jewish community in the Stamford Hill area. I can confirm that there is no indication that this offence was hate related and it was not directly connected with our Jewish communities or international events.
“This offence shows the dreadful impact of gun crime across all of our communities.
“My local policing teams will continue to be out in the community, so please do approach officers if you have specific concerns or information.”
A police cordon remained in place this morning as detectives scoured CCTV in the hunt for the shooters.
Forensics officers trawled for clues and officers carried out door-to-door inquiries.
Medical packs used to help the woman lay strewn across the ground near a bus stop on a bustling shopping street.
Jewish safety organisation the Community Security Trust said: “In regard to this incident, we can confirm that there is not a connection to the Jewish community.”
The A10, close to the Morrisons supermarket in Stamford Hill, was closed between Lynmouth Road and Lampard Grove on Wednesday morning.
Residential streets are shut and several buses routes diverted.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, local Hackney officers said: “Police will make every effort to keep the disruption to a minimum.
“Thank you for your patience whilst we investigate the connected incident. Highways Agency have been informed.”
London Ambulance Service said: “We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team.
“We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.
“We treated a patient at the scene before taking them to a major trauma centre as a priority.”
Anyone with information or footage should call police on 101 or post on X @MetCC quoting reference CAD 7076/14May.
To remain 100 percent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.