Nine-year-old shot in London might never ‘speak or move properly again’
A nine-year-old girl who was shot while eating at a restaurant in London may never fully recover from her injuries.
The anguished parents of a nine-year-old who was hit in a random shooting said their daughter may never “speak or move properly” again.
The youngster was eating dinner with her family at a restaurant in Dalston, East London, on May 29 when a motorcyclist fired “a number of shots” towards the building.
She remains in a critical condition 49 days after the attack.
Three men sitting outside the diner - aged 37, 42 and 44 - were also shot but were discharged from hospital a few days later.
A family statement, released via the Metropolitan Police, said: “We are devastated about what has happened. Our daughter remains stable but in a critical condition.
“She only went there for ice cream and now we do not know if we will ever get our daughter back to being the smart, funny girl that she was before and whether she will be able to ever speak or move properly again.
“We need our child back and we are all praying for her full recovery.”
The update on the girl’s condition came as police released new photographs of a motorcyclist they want to trace. The three images were captured in the Dalston area, before and after the incident.
Detective Chief Supt James Conway, said: “I am making a renewed appeal for information relating to the shooting in Hackney, on Wednesday 29 May, which left three men injured and a nine-year-old girl in a critical condition. Our investigation team has been working tirelessly to piece together what happened and to identify the dangerous individuals responsible for this shocking and indiscriminate act of violence.
“They are now in a position to release images of a suspect. We believe the motorcycle has been in the Peckham and Crystal Palace areas.
“Anyone who saw this motorcycle or who can help us identify the rider is urged to contact us immediately.
“Whoever this person is, they are dangerous and must be removed from our streets.” Mr Conway said the Met are investigating a potential link to organised criminal networks originating in Turkey.
He said: “The nine-year-old girl who was injured was simply out having dinner with her family. She remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.
“You might be a friend, partner or a family member of someone that you suspect may be involved. I urge you to search your heart to understand if your loyalty to friends or associates extends to covering up for an innocent child being shot.”
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact Crimestoppers or to speak to police.
