Neighbours pay tribute to man gunned down on Harlesden doorstep

Neighbours of a man gunned down on his doorstep in Harlesden have paid tribute to their ‘gentle giant’.

Flowers and candles have been left for James Owusu who was shot dead in the doorway of his parent’s home in Tynesdale Road at 10.45pm on Wednesday evening.

The 22-year-old, an only child who lived with his mother and father, was well liked on the street.

Neighbours believed they were hearing fireworks until they saw the blue lights of the police arriving an hour later.

Simon Disney, 31, a neighbour, said: “I heard bang bang bang, that’s it. I thought it was fireworks. It’s that time of year, you don’t think anything of it but later police arrived and cordoned off the road.

“James was a good kid, no trouble, just a normal kid who had just graduated from uni, went to work, came home. He was a DJ aswell, DJ Skillzy.

“There’s no reason for any of this. Everyone around here is shocked, the whole of Church Road is shocked.”

Sameed Ahmed, 21, who lives on Church Road, added: “I grew up with him. My cousin and my older brother were in the same class as him at Curzon Crescent nursery. It’s really upsetting. Out of all people he is the last person who deserves anything like this. He was not affiliated with any gangsters, that needs to be cleared. He went out of his way to avoid that kind of thing.”

Leo Eyo, a pensioner, would see him often as he walked from his own home in Crome Road. He said: “He greeted me all the time – “hello, how are you?” It breaks my heart. Who would do this? He was like a gentle giant this boy, calm, I don’t see him to do any harm. Why should anyone take an innocent boy’s life like this?”

The shooting took place just yards away from where Oliver Tetlow was gunned down on March 9 this year.

The 27-year-old died after a gunman opened fire on Church Road.

On September 9 this year a car parking in Hawkins Road, which is also on the Church Road Estate, was fired at several times. No one was injured.

Wayne Holmes, who moved from nearby Hawkin Road last week, returned to Tynesdale Road when he dropped off a friend the day James was killed. He said: “I was here about 9 O’clock and the whole estate was a ghost town. If you live around here and it’s that quiet you know something’s going to happen, like the day Oliver Tetlow died. He was innocent. James too, he kept his nose clean. It’s really really tragic.”

Detectives have launched a murder investigation. Anyone who witnessed the yesterday’s shooting or has any information should call police on 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.