A manhunt was today under way after a 38-year-old man was shot dead in a suburban London millionaires’ row.
Armed police were called to Vine Lane in Uxbridge at around 7pm last night to reports of a flurry of gunshots.
Paramedics battled for an hour to resuscitate the victim in a tent erected in the driveway of a detached house backing onto woodland.
The man is said to have been shot multiple times at close range with a handgun and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The gunman was last seen running down St Andrew’s Road, past former airforce base RAF Uxbridge.
Neighbours in the leafy road of detached million-pound homes said they heard five or six shots fired which “sounded like fireworks”. Within minutes armed police had sealed off the road.
A witness said: “I was watching television with the volume up quite loud and just heard five or six pops. It sounded like fireworks going off, which I thought was strange at his time of the year.
“I came out and was stopped by police who said a man had been shot and the gunman was on the loose.
“There was a man lying on the floor surrounded by people and paramedics. Two paramedics were trying to save his life by giving him CPR in the driveway.
“With that many shots fired I would have been amazed if he had survived.”
He added: “Vine Lane is a rich road with lots of big houses. This sort of thing doesn’t happen around here.”
Anorther resident said: “I saw the tent and thought it must have been a road traffic accident, but now I know it was a murder and to think the killer is still out there. It’s frightening.”
Neighbour Elizabeth Segal, said: “It’s really terrifying. It’s really close to our house. A shooting around here is just unheard of. It’s terrible. We’ve no idea who the poor man is, the police haven’t told us anything.”
Police sniffer dogs were seen going around gardens and hedges last night as detectives launched a murder investigation.
The shooting happened metres from the £22,000-a-year ACS Hillingdon International School, for pupils aged four to 18.
A Met Police spokesman said: “Police were called by London Ambulance Service to Vine Lane, Uxbridge, at the junctoin with St Andrew’s Lane at 6.59pm on Tuesday following reports of a shooting.
“Officers and London Air Ambulance attended the scene and found a 38-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds. The man was pronounced dead at the scene at 7.56pm.
“Police are in the process of informing next of kin. A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.
“No arrests have been made. Enquiries are ongoing.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 0208-358-0300 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
