Girl injured in gang crossfire in east London

LIFE STYLE EXTRA:

A young girl was injured in the crossfire as gangsters opened fire in broad daylight just yards from the home of junkie rocker Pete Doherty.

Witnesses watched in horror as two black men believed to be in their mid-twenties opened fire on each other after an argument in the Hackney street, east London.

The incident in Laburnum Street, the road on which the potty singer lives, happened around 2pm yesterday and was said to be 'gang-related'.

A police spokesperson said: "We were called at 2.43pm to reports of gunshots fired in Hackney.

"On arrival at the scene, in the Laburnum Street/Whiston Road area, officers found a man, believed to be in his mid-twenties, suffering minor injuries.

"A female child who was a passenger in a passing car also suffered minor injuries and was taken to an East London hospital for a check up as a precaution."

A policeman at the scene said: "Two men started shooting at each other in the street. When we arrived they had both run off.

"But we were able to arrest one who had suffered minor injuries. We think it is gang related and it was lucky nobody was seriously injured."

A witness who did not want to be named, said: "This is the sort of thing round here. I was watching out of the window and saw two black men about my age, 26, arguing with each other.

"The next thing I know they've pulled guns put and started firing.

"They ran off but one of them was bleeding and it was easy for the coppers to catch him. Now we've got to put up with all the roads being blocked off."

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