Man shot dead in his car after being ambushed in east London

Witnesses described ‘absolute carnage’ after a man was ambushed and shot dead in his car in east London. 

The victim, 40, was gunned down at 3am in Newham. 

The front of his white Prius was damaged and being examined by forensics officers. 

Mira Kabal told Metro: ‘It was absolute carnage. 

‘There were blue lights and armed police. We are so shocked and terrified. 

‘I saw the white car the guy was in I thought it had crashed. But then I was told he had been shot.’

Dramatic footage from seconds after the incident shows armed police on the scene as paramedics on the ground battling to save his life. 

Councillor Syed Naqvi visited the crime scene and spoke of his fears over escalating violence. 

He told Metro: ‘People are terrified here. It’s the school holidays what if a child had been hit. People are worried to walk the streets. We are in shock. The police are doing their best. People need reassurance.’ 

The attack took place on St Bartholomews Road which is behind a police cordon. 

Forensics officers are scouring for clues while detectives are trawling through CCTV from around the area. 

No arrests have been made. 

Detective Chief Inspector Dan Whitten, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘Firstly, our thoughts remain with the friends and family of the man who has sadly died.

‘We know this incident will cause concern in the local area, and I want to reassure the community that my team and I are doing everything we can to determine what happened and trace those responsible.

‘Those in the area will continue to see an increased police presence throughout the day while these enquiries continue.

‘We are asking anyone with information, or who may have witnessed anything in the early hours of the morning, to please contact us.

‘Any piece of information, no matter how small, could be vital to our investigation.’