‘Very busy’ party at flats on morning of shooting, say locals

A “very busy” flat party carried on until the morning of a shooting that left one man dead and two others injured in south-east London, local residents have said.

Police were called just after 10am on Sunday to reports of a shooting in the area of Wells Park Road, Sydenham.

A man with gunshot injuries died at the scene, while a woman with gunshot wounds to her legs was taken to hospital with injuries not said to be life-threatening.

I didn't wake up properly until about 7am. I took my dog, fed her, walked her after that, and the party was still going on

A third person attended hospital with what are believed to be gunshot injuries and their condition is unknown, the Metropolitan Police said.

The eastern end of Wells Park Road remained closed off by a police cordon on Monday, with further police tape surrounding a block of flats in Hensford Gardens.

Sabrina Charles, 42, who lives in a flat in Mill Gardens, opposite the cordon, told the PA news agency she was woken in the early hours of Sunday by noise coming from flats in Hensford Gardens.

She said: “I didn’t hear the music until after 11pm, and it went on until around 5am.

“I didn’t wake up properly until about 7am. I took my dog, fed her, walked her after that, and the party was still going on.”

Ms Charles said she saw people arriving in cars and going in and out of several of the flats.

She added: “[It was] very busy. It didn’t bother me because I thought it was a birthday party or christening, so I didn’t take any notice until my friend told me there was a shooting.”

We are determined to safeguard the community, to get to the bottom of what happened here and bring those responsible to justice

Another resident living within the cordon, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I came out at 10 o’clock yesterday and there was a lot of screaming and shouting.

“I caught the bus so I must’ve just missed it.”

Commander Peter Stevens described the incident as a “senseless act of violence” and said the police cordons were likely to remain in place for some time.

He said: “I share their concerns and can assure the local community that the Met’s response, alongside our partners, has been rapid.

“We are determined to safeguard the community, to get to the bottom of what happened here and bring those responsible to justice.”

No arrests have been made and the Met has appealed for witnesses.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, message on X to @MetCC with reference number 2527/10nov, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.