Streatham shooting Fern Lodge Estate - Fears grow for children in area

Emergency services were called to Leigham Court Road, Streatham, at 3.06pm after reports of gunshots.

A large cordon was put in place around the housing estate, preventing entry at Crown Lane, Esam Way, Ilex Way and Fern Lodge Playground, which is still active.

The woman, who lives in the building, said the incident happened before school pick-up.

The witness said: "I heard five gunshots but I thought they were fireworks."

She said two men ran around the basketball court, with one appearing to put an object, which she believed to be a gun, in his pocket.

She also saw a man who appeared to be injured run towards Hazel Court. Two women came out and called police, she said.

The witness said: "I saw another guy who was injured running to Hazel Court, which is part of the same estate."

Police arrived in less than a minute, according to the woman.

Officers carrying firearms then took an injured man from a flat, she said.

The witness said: "Police came immediately in less than a minute. Police with big guns took a guy out a flat who was injured"

A large cordon was put in place around the housing estate, preventing entry at Crown Lane, Esam Way, Ilex Way and Fern Lodge Playground.

Emergency services were called to Leigham Court Road, Streatham, at 3.06pm after reports of gunshots.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 3.06pm yesterday (14 September) to reports of a shooting in Leigham Court Road, SW16."

Ambulance crews, a clinical team manager, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and London's air ambulance attended.

The service treated a man at the scene before taking him to hospital. Police said he was in his 20s and had non-life-threatening injuries.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "Officers attended the scene quickly alongside the London Ambulance Service and a man in his 20s was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries."

No arrests have been made. An investigation has been launched and enquiries remain ongoing.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "Enquiries continue at the scene, and the community will see an increased police presence in the area."

The witness said the incident had affected her sense of safety, particularly because children use the playground after school.

She said: "After school many kids go to the playground but now it’s not safe to."

The woman added that the timing could have made the incident more frightening, with the area expected to be busy with children later in the week.

She said: "If this is what happened 15 minutes later, when children came out of school, it could have been really scary."