Two teenagers shot for their iPods by gang of children

Two teenagers shot for their iPods by gang of children

By Justin Davenport
Last updated at 3:19 PM on 16th February 2009

Two teenagers were shot repeatedly by a gang of boys who demanded their iPods and phones.

The victims, brothers aged 18 and 19, were left writhing in agony outside a McDonald's in Neasden, North-West London.

One was hit in the stomach, leg, groin and arm and the other was wounded in the chest and stomach.

The brothers, believed to be eastern European, had been challenged by the gang, some of whom were on bicycles, who asked them what they were doing there and then told them to hand over their valuables.


Double shooting: Officers and workmen search for evidence in drains along Blackbird Hill, Neasden

Suddenly, at least one of the gang is understood to have produced a handgun and the two teenagers were hit by a volley of shots at about 10.45pm on Saturday.

The boys are being treated in hospital today where one was described as 'stable' and the other 'serious'.

Police today said two boys had been arrested in early morning raids, one of them 14, the other 15. Officers said they were looking for five boys in connection with the attack.

One witness heard several shots from his home, close to the scene on Blackbird Hill.

He said: 'I heard them - crack, crack, crack, crack, crack. They could have been fireworks, but then I heard a man screaming and shouting. I realised there had been a shooting. I ran out and saw two guys there.

'One of them was lying on the pavement, apparently unconscious. The other was clutching his stomach where he had been shot. I didn't see any blood. I didn't want to get that close in case the gunfight was still going on.

'The guy clutching his stomach was on his mobile phone. I think someone had called him as it was going on. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I think it must have been his mum because she turned up 10 minutes later. She was freaking out and screaming.'


Investigation: A Met forensics officers takes pictures at the scene in Neasden. Roads in the area have been cordoned off

A police spokeswoman said: 'The victims were approached by a group of suspects who asked what they were doing in the area. They then attempted to rob the victims and shots were fired.'

It is not clear if anything was taken. It is understood the brothers were walking with friends when the attack took place.

Motorists who had been driving past stopped to help the victims who were lying on the pavement. Their cars were left inside the police cordon yesterday.

Jorge Alehandrou, 20, who lives round the corner, said the shooting could be linked to a gang on the nearby Chalk Hill Estate.

He told London's Evening Standard newspaper: 'I heard a rumour that the people that did this were from the Chalk Hill Estate.

'There's not really a gang problem here. I feel safe on the streets.'

However, other locals were less positive about the area.

One shopkeeper said: 'You have to be careful who you deal with or you could get lead in your ear. This area used to be lovely, but it's gone really downmarket. Carrying guns is a way of life for some of these people.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1146551/Two-teenagers-shot-iPods-gang-children.html