Witness claims woman and child were gunned down following street row

A witness to a double shooting last night which left an 11-year-old girl injured has described seeing a group of men arguing before shots rang out.

The young victim was hit in the foot and a 48-year-old woman was shot in the chest and leg after a gunman opened fire in the Templar House Estate in St Cuthbert’s Road, at around 9.40pm.

According to witnesses six shots were heard followed by screaming and shouting.

Both victims were rushed to hospital where their condition is not believed to be life-threatening.

A 22-year-old man who lives opposite the shooting scene told the Times he saw a group of males standing in the street and around two cars before an argument broke out.

He said: “Another set of cars pulled up and an argument broke out, it quite aggressive and that’s when shots were fired.

“A young girl was running and fell over but then the police came and tried to break it up.”

He added: “Normally this estate is OK but occasionally you get trouble with gangs and stuff.”

Peter Smiths, 45, who lives nearby, said: “I thought it was fireworks at first, because the bangs were so frequent, then I heard screaming and shouting.

“I didn’t hear anything for a while but then police came and there were blue flashing lights everywhere and they blocked the road off.”

Mr Smiths added: “There has been trouble with the estate before, people have asked for security cameras to be put up.”

Officers from Operation Trident, the Met’s specialist team that probes gun crime in London, are investigating the shooting.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 11.