Manhunt for ‘assassin’ who fired into crowd while kids walked home from school

A manhunt is underway after a ‘biker gunman’ blasted shots into a crowd in a suspected attempted gang hit on a rival in front of children walking home after school. 

The shooter jumped off a motorcycle and pulled out a semi automatic pistol which he fired into a basketball court in Ladywell Fields, south east London, witnesses told Metro. 

The Metropolitan Police’s gang crime unit Trident is hunting for the would-be assassin but no arrests have been made. 

One parent, who jumped out of the firing line as the gunman brandished the pistol, described how he and others ‘ran for their lives’ as he opened fire at just after 3.40pm on May 14. 

He said: ‘I was walking through the park and this black motorcycle pulled up. I noticed it didn’t have a number plate which was odd. 

‘A guy dressed in all black and with a helmet on but the visitor up started jogging towards the basketball court. He ran towards me and pulled out a pistol. It looked like a semi automatic.

‘As he ran he shouted “get out of the way big man” as he raised the gun. I was literally in the firing line so I ran for my life, as did others in the park. He then fired two or three shots into the basketball court.

‘There was a group in there and he was targeting them, it looked like. He was dressed all in black, dressed to kill,  he looked like an assassin. He held the gun with two hands as he shot, to me it was targeted. The gun wasn’t shiny – it looked real. 

‘After the shots he jumped on the bike and took off. It was chaos, it was after the kids were let out of school and there were people having a picnic in the middle of all this. It’s crazy that it happened in a park in the day time. It was terrifying.’ 

Police were called to the scene and forensics officers scoured the park for evidence. 

Metro understands bullet casings were recovered in Ladywell Fields a 54 acre green space in the heart of Lewisham. 

The Trident unit is leading the investigation and the crime scene was cordoned off for 24 hours, with detectives collecting CCTV footage as part the inquiry. 

Ladywell Fields was bustling on the day the gunman appeared. Families were seen enjoying the sunshine in the much-loved green space which also has sports facilities. 

The shooting took place just around half a mile from University Hospital Lewisham and the maternity hospital.

A second witness told Metro: ‘I heard a loud argument in the park. I didn’t think much of it as there is some anti-social behaviour. But a little later I heard two loud bangs. I looked out and saw people running. One boy left the park and looked injured. I don’t know whether it was from the gun but he was not hanging around.’

Shocked Iocals were told of the shooting by detectives carrying out door to door inquiries. 

One told Metro: ‘We are all shocked to core. My kids play in there. They could have been hit. The police need to find this criminal fast. He could do it again.’

A nursery worker said: ‘We sometimes take the kids to the park. This is so shocking. What is happening to London?’

A Met police statement said: ‘On Tuesday, 14 May at 15:43hrs police were called after gunshots were reportedly heard in Ladywell Fields, SE6. 

‘Officers attended but there were no suspects at the scene and no reported injuries.

‘No arrests have been made at this stage. ‘

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