Hero describes moment she tried to save man and girl, 8, who were shot in car

A hero witness today described the moment she saw her neighbour slumped over the steering wheel of his car after he was gunned down outside his home.

An eight-year-old girl is still fighting for her life after she was caught in the crossfire of the ‘targeted’ attack on Sunday night.

Police said a 22-year-old man was arrested after the shooting in Southern Row, Kensal Rise just after 5.30pm.

The schoolgirl, her two-year-old sister, and her father, 34, were all injured after the gunman fired shots into their parked car from close range.

Her mum,

A 22-year-old man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of attempted murder.

Terhas Ghebremichael, 58, a foster carerd told today Metro she didn’t hear the shots but received a text from a neighbour and ran to help the family despite the danger.

She said: ‘I had the hair dryer on so I didn’t hear the shots. My neighbour messaged me and I ran out.

‘My neighbour was slumped over the steering wheel and his partner and two kids got out I asked the woman who I know if I could help.

‘I asked to help with her children she was so distressed. I did what I could. I know these people they moved into the block when I did in 2016.

‘They have two teenage boys and two girls who are younger. They are very nice people, very decent.

‘The teenage boys open the door for you when you see them on the corridor.

‘I’m deeply shocked. I couldn’t sleep last night it gave me nightmares. The police need to find the gunman to attack such a family is terrible.

‘I don’t think the family can come back until they are caught. They were shot on their more or less on their doorstep.’

A neighbour of a family ambushed by a gunman said he was ‘mystified’ at how anyone would want to attack them. 

The man, 42, who did not want to be named told Metro: ‘They are a really nice, typical family who are friendly neighbours who would to anything for anyone.

‘I’ve known them for years and I can hand in heart say they have been nothing but lovely.

‘The children are polite, the boys going to the local school and are good kids and the dad seems a good bloke.

‘This is a total mystery to us there is nothing that would have raised alarm bells. We just hope they are going to be ok, we are very concerned.’

Another witness, 64, told Metro: ‘I heard shots, and then a woman shouting: ‘My baby, my baby’s been shot … it makes me sick to think about it now.

‘There were four or five shots, there was screaming it’s horrible. A neighbour went out with a duvet to cover the injured. 

Father of five Ali Hussien, 52, an Uber driver told Metro: ‘I heard four or five bangs I thought it was fireworks. 

‘There were suddenly police everywhere. Now I know it was a shooting it’s very scary.

‘Especially as I have children. I have a daughter, 9, so I fear for my children. The police do their best but there is a lot of crime.’

Another witness said: ‘There were about five loud bangs.’

A retail worker, 34, said: ‘I heard boom, boom, boom, boom.

‘There was a gap between the shots then I heard a scream, it sounded like from a child.

‘It was a desperate cry, and it was a very scary. It could only have been.’

A neighbour spoke of his shock that the ‘down to earth family’ had been targeted. 

The 32 year old said: ‘They are a nice down to earth family. There is the mum, dad and four children. There have two bits and two girls I think.

‘They seem nice neighbours, I spoke to the bloke a few times. They have lived here for a king time.

‘The only strange thing is that the dad went missing for a few months recently, didn’t see him at all. I saw their car with the windows shot out. It’s so shocking.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Hunt for attacker after man stabbed 19 times with a screwdriver in east London

MORE: Teen filmed himself with no hands on wheel before crash that paralysed woman

MORE: ‘I was told I had five years left to live in 1993’