A 15-year-old boy was shot dead during a ‘family fun day’ event at Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance, known locally as ‘Teletubbies Park,’ in Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening, around 7:20 PM.
Emergency services, including police and an air ambulance, rushed to the scene where they found the boy fatally wounded.
Despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The police are working to identify him and inform his family.
A security officer at the event said, “A teenager was assassinated. I was right there. People were rushing and everyone was screaming. They were rushing through the barrier. There were two gunshots.”
Another security officer from a nearby building reported seeing a helicopter around 5 or 6 PM. He commented, “There’s loads of guns around here. It’s the area. It’s a dodgy area. Everyone around here has got something. Carnival is coming next month. People start hurting themselves for no reason. It’s sad.”
Many residents were unable to access their cars due to the police cordon. One resident told the Mail, “We can’t access our vehicles. We’re just waiting. We’ve not been given much information. We’ve been waiting a couple of hours.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that six males have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody. A murder investigation is currently underway.
Videos posted on social media show multiple police and paramedic vehicles outside the park, with reports of people fleeing in panic after hearing gunshots. The park was hosting ‘Park Lime,’ an annual event organized by the Caribbean Music Association, which features DJs, carnival stalls, and food kiosks.
A crime scene remains in place at the park, known for its brightly colored children’s play area that resembles the children’s TV show ‘Teletubbies.’
In a statement, the Met said, “Police were called at approximately 19:20hrs on Sunday, 21 July to reports of a shooting in a park near Hazlewood Crescent, W10. Officers, London Ambulance Service, and London’s Air Ambulance all attended the scene. A teenager, believed to be aged 15, was found suffering injuries. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Work is ongoing to identify and inform his next of kin.”
The police added that there were no reports of anyone else being injured. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said, “We were called at 7.19 PM this evening (21 July) to reports of a shooting in a park off Hazlewood Crescent, Ladbroke Grove. We sent a number of resources including ambulance crews, paramedics in fast response cars, and an incident response officer. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance. Sadly, a man died at the scene despite the best efforts of our crews to save his life.”
