Ladbroke Grove shooting: Man arrested after shots fired 'directly into car' with girl, 8, and child, 2, inside

A 22-year-old man has been taken into custody following a shooting in west London that left an eight-year-old girl and another man with serious injuries.

The event on Southern Row in Ladbroke Grove took place just after 5:30 PM on Sunday and involved several individuals in a car, including a two-year-old toddler.

An eight-year-old girl is currently undergoing surgery and her condition is serious, though stable. Meanwhile, a 34-year-old man is also in serious but stable condition, facing injuries that could significantly impact his life.

A 32-year-old woman who was in the car was taken to the hospital as a safety measure, but she was not injured. The two-year-old was also unharmed.

Authorities took a 22-year-old man into custody on charges of attempted murder following the incident, and they are reaching out to the community for additional details.

One eyewitness recounted how the victims were attacked while sitting in their car. She mentioned seeing a man "firing straight into the vehicle."

Sharon, who preferred to keep her last name private, shared with the PA news agency, "He was shooting straight at us, almost as if he was right in front of an open door, aiming directly into it."

I was utterly stunned and dashed back up the stairs out of fear. After that, I heard screaming and saw people rushing out to contact the police.

A 64-year-old witness who talked to Metro mentioned hearing the girl's mother yelling.

"I heard gunfire, followed by a woman screaming, 'My child, my child has been shot'... just remembering it makes me feel sick," they expressed.

"There were several gunshots followed by shouting; it was terrifying. One of the neighbors stepped outside with a blanket to help shield the wounded."

Superintendent Owen Renowden briefed reporters during a press conference held close to the incident site.

Detectives from the Specialist Crimes Command are in charge of the investigation to clarify the events that occurred.

"Even though the investigation is moving quickly, I want to urge anyone who has information that could help to step forward," he said.

A police barrier has been established at the north-western section of Southern Row.

A local mentioned that he had seen "three shootings" happen in the neighborhood before.

Muraad Haab, who didn't witness the attack on Sunday, mentioned, "I've witnessed three incidents of gunfire. Someone who had been firing their weapon earlier ended up shooting at my window."

Another local, 60-year-old Lloyd Markham, shared his thoughts: "I've been a resident here for around 25 years, and it always felt like a very safe neighborhood. But recently, I've been hearing more about stabbings and shootings."

"It's truly heartbreaking. Why would anyone shoot a gun when there are children nearby? How could someone act that way towards another person?"

Local Member of Parliament Joe Powell expressed in a message on X: "These irrational acts of violence do not belong in our communities."

I'm aware that people living in the area are understandably worried about their safety following a number of recent events in the community.

"We need to collaborate more effectively to stop these terrible crimes from occurring and ensure that those who are responsible are held accountable," stated the Labour politician representing Kensington and Bayswater.

In a statement, the London Ambulance Service mentioned that their first team reached the scene within six minutes.

"Our teams provided care to two individuals on site before swiftly transporting them to a major trauma center in London."