EXECUTED
Christmas Eve killer shoots man five times on doorstep of his £1.5million home – in 150th murder of the year in London
‘A pause before the final shot’ ‘Area isn’t safe any more’
A MAN was gunned down on the doorstep of his £1.5million townhouse in an execution-style hit on Christmas Eve.
Neighbours reported hearing five shots being fired after the victim answered the door at the London property.
His horrified family, who were inside the terraced house at the time, swarmed around him as a health worker who lives nearby tried to save his life.
The Christmas Eve murder is the 150th in the capital this year – the highest number on record in 11 years.
Tuesday’s killing took place on a street in affluent Battersea, south-west London, where residents had been settling in for the evening when they heard gunshots at around 8.45pm.
Julian Stratton, 51, was at his parents’ home just yards from the scene.
He said: ‘We are friends with a man who lives directly opposite the scene. He told us there was a knock at the victim’s door, which was answered.
‘Then there were five gunshots. Four back-to-back, “bang, bang, bang, bang,” then a pause before the final shot.
‘The shots were heard by many neighbours, but being Christmas Eve, most people thought they were fireworks at first.’
He added: ‘My neighbour’s partner is a health worker. He went to help the man, who was lying on his driveway, before the police and ambulances arrived.
‘ It is thought one round entered the victim’s neck, but where the other four ended up are unknown.
‘We think the man is Eastern European but don’t know exactly where he is from.
‘My parents have lived here for more than a decade. They are surprised this has happened.’
More than ten police cars arrived at the scene within minutes and officers have launched a murder investigation.
Another elderly resident said he walked past the property on the evening of the shooting and missed the gunfire by a matter of minutes.
The man, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I was dropping my daughter off at the bus stop and walked right past the house in question. When I returned I saw what had happened. A group of people gathered around the person. I stopped, but didn’t help because everything that could be done was being done. If I had left five minutes later I could have got caught up in it.’
The resident’s other daughter, who was still at home at the time of the shooting, said: ‘The bangs were incredibly loud. Then more than ten police cars arrived about 15 minutes later.’
Omar Seikaly, 35, a caterer who lives several doors down from the victim’s house, said: ‘Someone got their life taken on Christmas Eve.
‘As soon as I walked out I knew there was something wrong because of all the flashing lights from police cars and ambuold lances. This is a pretty hot area. There was a stabbing on a street nearby not long ago. But shooting is quite new.’
Another resident, a 70-yearretired Lloyds insurance underwriter, said: ‘I am still suffering from being attacked in my front garden over three years ago.
‘This area isn’t safe any more and I’ve put my house on the market.’
A Met Police officer said: ‘ A murder investigation linked to the shooting is now under way after the victim died.’
The murder toll is up from 132 killings in the capital last year. The figures account for murders, manslaughters and selfdefence killings.