Grandmother's plea for witnesses a year after toddler shot in Harlesden

Lillian Serunkuma’s grandson was one of four people, including his badly injured mother and two teenagers, who were shot in Energen Close on June 3 2020 just before 9.45pm.

A child and three adults were shot in Harlesden. Picture: David Nathan (Image: Archant)

Doctors who treated the young boy told his family that the bullet missed a crucial artery by just 1mm.

Had the artery been struck, the injury would have been fatal.

Police believe a man carrying a handgun fired a shot at one of the teenage boys and then fired into a car containing the boy, his mother and the other teenager, Scotland Yard said.

Lillian's daughter, the toddler's mother, was hit multiple times and sustained serious injuries.

Two other children who were in the car were fortunately unharmed.

The gunman fled the scene on a moped.

Harlesden-Shooting----a-year-on----20-000-reward

An outstanding £20,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of those responsible is still being offered

Police have also reissued CCTV footage of a moped that is believed to have been involved in the shooting.

Lillian, whose 15-year-old son Quamari Serunkuma-Barnes, was stabbed to death in 2017, said: “It has now been a year since the incident and I would hope that anyone who does have any information will finally come forward.

"It is really important that people understand the significance of this and that the tiniest bit of information could help the police.

"Information you provide could well be the missing piece of the jigsaw that my family has been praying for.

“The community must recognise that there is a huge reward on offer to anyone that provides information which leads to the conviction of those responsible for this awful crime.

"If you do not feel comfortable speaking to the police, information can be also be shared anonymously with Crimestoppers.

“We are very thankful for the support we have received over the last year but would now like to emphasise the urgent need to identify those responsible.

“My daughter and my grandson have been lucky to come out on the other side but this incident could have ended very differently.

"This could have easily been a double, triple, or even a quadruple murder investigation.

“From the bottom of my heart, I am thankful to anyone who has the courage to come forward and do the right thing.”

Detectives are pleading for anyone with information to come forward, no matter how insignificant what they have to share may seem.

Det Insp Jamie Stevenson from Specialist Crime North, said: “This was an absolutely horrific attack that left an innocent little boy fighting for his life.

"It is only by chance that there were no fatalities.

“I am hoping that now that a year has passed, people who didn’t feel able to come forward at the time of shooting may feel that they are now ready to break the wall of silence and offer us their assistance.

“There is a good chance that a number of people in the community know what happened on the day and more importantly, know who is responsible. I would ask people to consider the impact this would have on them if it was a member of their own family that was injured.

“Somebody out there picked up a firearm and heartlessly fired multiple shots at a mother holding her young son.

"The injuries and the psychological trauma that has been caused to the victims and to the two children that witnessed the incident will continue to have long-lasting implications.

"We must identify this dangerous individual and I believe that members of the public can help us do just that."

Anyone with information about the shooting should call police on 101, providing the reference CAD 8326/03JUN20.

Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Six men who were previously arrested in connection with the investigation have since been released with no further action.