A girl who has been fighting for her life since she was shot in a drive-by shooting has been named by Indian press.
Lissel Maria, nine, is reportedly the name of the girl who was struck by a bullet as she ate with her family at the Evin restaurant in Kingsland High Street, Dalston on May 29.
Her family moved to Birmingham two years ago and their relatives are in Kerala, southern India, who spoke to The Guardian.
The Malayali parents reportedly work as IT professionals.
Mary Paul, a resident of Kadalvathuruthu ward in Kerala, told The Hindu daily newspaper that she received a cryptic message that her granddaughter had been shot.
She said that her son, Lissel’s father, has called her “countless times” and that the family are “devastated”.
The family were reportedly set to visit home on July 31, when Lissel’s summer holiday begins.
“We spoke to them every single day. We had talked to Lissel the day before the incident, and she was so excited about returning home,” Ms Paul told The Hindu.
Her family are understood to have been visiting friends and relatives in London from their Birmingham home.
Family members in India’s Kerala state said they were praying for her in their coastal village near the city of Kochi.
According to the Evin restaurant owner Gazi Degirmenci, who spoke to The Guardian, the child was “very lively” and was jumping on the chairs at the moment that shots were fired.
Gunshots were fired from a stolen motorbike at 9.15pm on that Wednesday night.
Three men who were sitting outside the restaurant were wounded.
Two men aged 44 and 42 remain in hospital in a stable condition, with one facing life-changing injuries.
The third man – aged 37 – has been discharged from hospital.
Awful CCTV footage from Dalston where a nine-year-old girl was shot in a drive-by attack while enjoying a family meal in a restaurant.
— Jacob Phillips (@JacobPhillipsES) May 30, 2024
Warning - the gunfire can be heard clearly in the footage. Credit @CrimeLdn pic.twitter.com/YeaqDx2H2p
Police are keeping an open mind as to the motive.
A crime scene remains in place in Kingsland High Street and officers continue to provide reassurance to the local community, supported by armed officers.
Det Ch Supt James Conway said on Friday: "This shocking attack will have had an element of pre-planning. This means there are people who will know something which may be crucial to our investigation.
"Gun crime has no place on the streets of London and this reckless act has left a young child fighting for her life."
He said police were specifically reaching out to Turkish and Kurdish communities, as the three men shot have connections with these communities, particularly in north and east London.
He also said the motorbike used in the shooting was a Ducati Monster, stolen in Wembley in 2021.
The bike has a white body, red chassis and red wheels, and at 9.20pm on Wednesday, when the shooting took place, had the registration plate DP21OXY.
"I am making a direct plea to those with information that might help us to bring those responsible to justice," he added.
There have been no arrests.
Anyone with information can call 101, or the dedicated incident room number 020 8345 3865.
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