The shooting took place close to St Aloysius RC Church
Three women and a seven-year-old girl have been injured in a shooting close to a church in central London on Saturday.
The women, aged 54, 48 and 41, are being treated in hospital after the attack which happened “in the vicinity of a church where a funeral was taking place” at St Aloysius R.C. Church in Phoenix Road, in Euston, at about 1.30pm.
Earlier this afternoon officers responded to reports of a shooting in the vicinity of a church in Phoenix Road, NW1.
There is a significant police presence in the area and an investigation is under way.
The update below provides further information: pic.twitter.com/lh2nVfOwoZ
— Camden Police (@MPSCamden) January 14, 2023
Euston funeral shooting live: Updates as 3 women 'shot' and girl, 7, injured outside church funeral service in broad daylighthttps://t.co/hIR354TUqZ pic.twitter.com/y3cCAuc5vA
— Callum Cuddeford (@cudlum) January 14, 2023
The 48-year-old potentially suffered life-changing injuries, while the two other women’s conditions are not life-threatening, the Met Police said in a statement.
Around half an hour after being called to the incident, at 205pm, the Met said it was informed that a seven-year-old girl “had been taken to a central London hospital with injuries that are believed to have been sustained in the same incident”.
Her condition is not yet known, with the Met saying “we await an update on her condition”.
A witness who claims they were inside St Aloysius Church when the incident took place told MyLondon: “It was chaos. It was horrible. No one knew if it was a bomb or gunman.”
The witness added: “We were looking for places to hide. We all just snuggled into corners where we could. We left after about 10 minutes, I did not dare [leave before]. It was not nice.”
It is not yet clear how the victims knew the mother and daughter whose funerals they were attending, or why the funeral service was targeted.
Fresia Calderon reportedly died after suffering a pulmonary embolism after she arrived to Heathrow from Colombia on November 5. Her daughter, Sara Sanchez, who had been diagnosed with leukaemia three years ago, succumbed 25 days later after “giving up all hope”, according to a family member, MailOnline reported.
The Met warned the public that there is a “significant police presence in the area” as an urgent investigation “is under way and details of the incident are still emerging”.
No one has been arrested.
The Met said the incident took place in the vicinity of a church where a funeral was taking place.
“Initial enquiries suggest the shots were fired from a moving vehicle which was then driven away from the scene.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information about what took place should is asked to call 101, giving the reference 3357/14JAN.
Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
