Family of girl, 9, critically injured in Dalston shooting ‘praying to God’ for her recovery
The nine-year-old girl injured in the drive-by shooting in east London is still on a ventilator as doctors try to remove the bullet from her head, her family revealed.
A gunman on a stolen motorbike opened fire on Kingsland High Street, Dalston, on Wednesday evening, spraying Evin Turkish restaurant with bullets while the child was eating dinner with her family.
Her IT professional parents are said to have moved to Birmingham from India over two years ago.
They were visiting London to meet family friends and go for dinner when the motorcyclist opened fire at around 9.20pm.
Her grandmother told reporters in Kerala, India that they were praying for her survival.
“The child is on the ventilator. Even after major surgery, the doctors haven’t been able to remove the bullet,” said Mary Paul, Lissel’s grandmother. She said the child’s brain had swollen due to the depth of the wound.
“Another major operation is scheduled after two days,” she told The New Indian Express. “We are praying to God for her survival and full recovery”.
The owner of the restaurant told the Guardian “the child was very lively and really cute”.
“I think at the moment the shots were fired she might have been jumping on the chairs … They were having dinner as a family. There was definitely another child, because that child was very scared.
“We were in shock and everyone fell to the floor and tried to protect themselves.
“There was loads of shouting and then we realised that one of the bullets had hit a child inside. The child was not with them [the three men outside], she was sitting at a table behind them.”
Two men, aged 44 and 42, who were sitting outside the restaurant during the drive-by shooting, were also injured and rushed to hospital for treatment, with one facing potentially life-changing injuries. A third man, aged 37, injured has since been discharged from hospital.
No arrests have yet been made. Appealing for information from Turkish and Kurdish communities, the Metropolitan Police on Friday issued images and the registration plate of the bike used in the “reckless” attack, which was later found dumped at Colvestone Crescent.
Addressing the girl’s condition on Friday, Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway told reporters: “We remain in close contact with our colleagues in the NHS who have worked around the clock to provide urgent care to the victims, including the young girl, who I’m very sad to say remains in a critical condition.”
He said specialist family liaison officers continue to support the girl’s family.
Giving details of the motorbike used in the incident, Mr Conway said: “We know that the offender fired from a motorbike at approximately 9.20pm on Wednesday evening.
“The bike was a Ducati Monster with a white body, red chassis and red wheels.
“Our officers have now established that the motorbike was previously stolen in 2021 from a property in Wembley.
“At the time of the shooting, the bike was displaying the registration plate DP21 OXY.
“I want to hear from anyone who might recognise it – I’m particularly keen to hear from you if you saw it on the day of the incident.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
