Gun recovered from scene of fatal shooting in Kensington

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A gun has been recovered from the scene after a man was shot dead in west London.

Officers received reports that a man with a firearm had been seen in a bank and bookmakers near Marloes Road in Kensington before the shooting on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing a man being shot three times in a taxi before being “dragged out” and arrested in Kensington Road.

In a statement on Sunday, the Independent Office for Police said a non-police issue firearm had been recovered from the scene.

A spokesman said: “At around 3.19pm yesterday afternoon (Saturday 12 December), police responded to reports of a man with a firearm on Marloes Road, W8

A man is shot dead close to Kensington Palace

Kensington shooting
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“The man was seen to enter a car and armed police stopped the vehicle at the junction of Kensington Road and Palace Gate.

“Shots were fired and a man sustained gunshot wounds. The London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance were called but, despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

“After being notified of the incident by the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service), we sent investigators to the scene and the post-incident procedure to start gathering evidence.

“What appears to be a non-police issue firearm has been recovered from the scene. Our thoughts are with everyone affected.”

One witness said they saw a person getting chest compressions from paramedics.

Kensington shooting
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Katie Roberton, 40, who was with her son visiting the palace said she heard three bangs ring out.

She told The Standard: “We heard these shots and I said to my boy ‘My god that sounds like gunshots’. It was not ‘bang, bang, bang’ but slower, all over in seven seconds.

“I stopped in my tracks and so did another woman ahead of me, then we saw people running.

“It was really scary I was with my son, so I had to stay calm for him. We walked to the side of the palace where the cars go in.

“The police there said they had no idea what going on but it could be something to do with the embassies.

“We just got out of there as soon as we can.”

A manager at a spa on Kensington Road, told the Standard: “We were all inside the hotel, it was busy we had all the guests in the bar, the restaurant. “Suddenly there were loads of police cars everywhere.

“They haven’t disclosed very much.

“Police came in to see if we are ok and told us to keep our guests away from the windows wherever possible. All our windows are open at the back so we were told to avoid people going out of the main entrance.

“Our guests aren’t allowed out still. We have another entrance and everyone is trying to get on normally.”

Another passerby said: “I was walking past and saw the area cordoned off with lots of police cars, vans and an ambulance.

“People were rumouring that someone got shot by the police. But I didn’t hear anything.

“They had a stretcher already out. I couldn’t take any pictures because I was holding shopping bags.”

The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed and the incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

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