Girl, 7, fights for life and five others shot outside London funeral of Colombian mum and daughter

A SEVEN-year-old girl is fighting for her life after she was among six people shot in a driveby shooting outside a funeral this afternoon.

In another shocking case of gun violence in the UK, bullets were sprayed from a vehicle that passed the church in Camden and then left the scene.

Three women – aged 48, 54 and 41 – were taken to a central London hospital where their injuries were assessed as non-life threatening. The 48-year-old has potentially life changing injuries.

A 21-year-old woman was also taken to a central London hospital and her condition has been assessed as non life-threatening.

A second child, a 12-year-old girl, was taken to hospital with a minor leg injury also sustained in the incident but has since been discharged.

The funeral of a mother and daughter from Colombia had just taken place in the St Aloysius Roman Catholic Church.

A Met Police spokesman said: "Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a shooting in Camden that left a seven-year-old child in a life threatening condition in hospital.

"At 1:29pm on Saturday, 14 January, police were called to reports of a shooting in Phoenix Road, NW1.

"Officers responded with medics from the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance.

"At 2:05pm, police were informed that a seven-year-old girl had been taken to a central London hospital with injuries sustained in the same incident. She remains in hospital in a life threatening condition.

"The incident took place in the vicinity of a church where a funeral was taking place. Initial enquiries suggest the shots were fired from a moving vehicle which was then driven away from the scene.

"At this early stage, there have not been any arrests."

Superintendent Ed Wells said: “Any shooting incident is unacceptable, but for multiple people, including two children, to be injured in a shooting in the middle of a Saturday afternoon is shocking.

“Our thoughts are with all the victims, but in particular with the seven-year-old girl who is in a life threatening condition and with her family.

“An investigation into this dreadful attack is already well under way involving local officers and specialist detectives. I can assure the communities of Camden and beyond that we will do everything we possibly can to identify and bring to justice those who were responsible.

“Local residents can expect to see an increased visible police presence in the area through the weekend and into the days ahead as we progress this investigation.

“I would urge anyone with information to come forward, either to the police or anonymously, to Crimestoppers.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information about what took place should call 101, giving the reference 3357/14JAN.

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman tweeted a statement tonight saying: "I am deeply concerned by the shocking shooting incident in Euston this afternoon, which has sadly involved a seven-year-old girl and several women. My thoughts are with them and their families.

"The @metpoliceuk have my full support to conduct a thorough investigation and catch those responsible for this terrible crime."

The funeral was of mother and daughter Fresia Calderon, 50, and Sara Sanchez, 20, who died a month apart.

Fresia fainted as she got off a flight from Colombia to Heathrow Airport and died at the scene on November 5.

A pulmonary embolism, a rare blood clot, was said to be the cause of death.

Sara, who was diagnoses with leukaemia at 17, died 25 days later.

Jo Ifghallal, who was at the funeral, told MyLondon: "It was a lovely service in the church for Fresia and her daughter. Fresia died of PE on her way back to Colombia. Sara died of broken heart and leukaemia.

"When the service finished, we were outside to see the flying of doves. A black car came and started to shoot bullets. It was chaotic."