A 19-year-old woman has been shot dead in a quiet suburban street in north London, prompting a murder investigation and leaving neighbours ‘heartbroken’ and ‘gobsmacked’.
Emergency services were called to a house on Dale Grove in Finchley just after midnight on Monday after paramedics from the London Ambulance Service reported hearing gunshots at the address, the Metropolitan Police said.
“Woman, 19, shot dead in Finchley; murder investigation launched, no arrests made.”
Officers arrived to find the teenager with fatal injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Specialist officers are supporting her family, police said. Formal identification and a post-mortem examination have yet to take place.
Detective Chief Inspector Allam Bhangoo, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘Our thoughts are with the young woman’s family at this incredibly difficult time as they begin to come to terms with their loss.’
‘We understand the concern this incident will cause within the community,’ Bhangoo added. ‘While our enquiries are ongoing, residents can expect to see an increased police presence over the coming days, and I encourage anyone with concerns to speak with officers.’
No arrests have been made, and police are working to establish what happened. Officers are appealing for anyone with information, including doorbell or dashcam footage from around midnight in or near Dale Grove, to contact them via 101 quoting reference 34/8JUN, or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Residents described the street as a quiet family area and said they were reeling from the killing. Resham Singh, who has lived in the area for 47 years, said: ‘There’s never been any problem at the house before. We can’t believe a 19-year-old has been killed. This is a quiet suburban street. We didn’t hear any shots or anything. This is a mystery to us. We are heartbroken and thinking of the victim’s family.’
Faz Saj, also a neighbour, said: ‘I’m absolutely gobsmacked about what has happened. It’s a quiet family street. It’s a big shock.’
Detectives are trying to piece together the events leading up to the shooting. The BBC reported that the victim’s family has been told and are being supported by specially trained officers.