Hackney shooting: Man who claims to know victims says 'lots of youngsters are getting killed'

Lianne Gordon, described as a "good neighbour", was shot and killed in Hackney, east London, on Tuesday after she had tried to protect someone she knew - thought to have been her son

A dad who claims to know all three victims of the east London shooting says he no longer feels safe in the area due to escalating gang violence.

Father-of-three Majir said the 16-year-old victim of the shooting, who he knows as Callum, had already been the target of an attack last year. Majir, 45, who knew fatal victim Lianne Gordon as a "good neighbour", said he believed Callum and perhaps the 20-year-old victim, who he named as Raheem, were living with Ms Gordon. Police have confirmed the boy and young man - who were not related - were known to Ms Gordon.

Majir, who didn’t wish to give his surname, said he saw the trio’s bodies dragged out into the street, and that passengers on a bus which had stopped outside Vine Close in Hackney, east London, had witnessed the shooting. He believed the two male victims were Lianne’s sons, though police have confirmed that though all three victims were known to each other, they were not related.

Majir, who has lived in the area of Clapton for around 14 years, added that he no longer feels safe in London due to the gang violence which infects the capital’s streets. He explained: “Between 6:30 and 7 o’clock… We didn’t see what exactly happened but we saw two or three people on the floor.

“The lady, they pulled her out to Vine Close. Ambulance and police turned up within five or six minutes. Everyone was panicking. I was shocked. I ask the people who had seen what exactly happened… People were on a bus and they got off and saw people shot.

“As far as I know of the two others hurt, one of them is Raheem - a tall, mixed-race guy - and the other is Callum, the 16-year-old. [Callum] used to play with my girls when they were little. He was going to college I’ve heard.

“I was a bit surprised, but I heard a story that around a year ago this boy was attacked before, the 16-year-old. I was thinking, ‘Why are the police not moving the family to somewhere else?’.

“Two days ago Callum was passing by and saying hello to me. He was walking alone that day, but normally he was walking with his mum - Lianne. I asked neighbours who was shot, and they said it was Lianne, Callum and Raheem.”

The dad feels the shooting could be related to local gangs. He said: "It could be gangs, that sort of thing,” he said. “There’s lots of things going on. London is not a safe place to live, that’s what I feel. People are scared.

"There's lots of youngsters getting killed. The war is going on in the East, but it's probably safer over there. There's lots of things going on down here.”

Majir said that he believed Lianne had likely been trying to "protect" one or both of the boys when she was fatally shot. He said: "I was thinking Callum was the target maybe.

"I believe they will find evidence in the bus. I felt very sorry about the lady… she was a good lady. We only said hello but she was a really good neighbour and never caused any problems or anything."