Dogwalker hero bravely confronts gunman firing shots at woman in east London park

A brave dogwalker has spoken of how she went ‘eye-to-eye’ with a gunman in a bid to stop his shooting rampage in an east London park.

Eyewitnesses saw a man chasing a woman through Clissold Park firing off shots as families fled for their lives in the popular green.

A man and woman, both in their 40s, were found suffering gunshot wounds and taken to the hospital at 7pm on Wednesday.

The man, however, died later this evening. The woman’s condition is unknown.

A dog walker said she confronted the suspect aiming a ‘Kray Twin style revolver’ at a woman before he ultimately turned the weapon on himself.

The witness, aged 50, was with her two dogs on their evening walk when she saw a desperate woman running from a man with a black pistol.

She told Metro: ‘The woman was running and shouting ‘my husband my husband’. He had a small gun and fired three or four times, it kind of popped.

‘I went towards them and said to him ‘what are you doing?’. He didn’t reply he just looked intent on getting her.

‘I shouted across to the shop outside the park where we know the people.

‘The woman ran towards it and shouted “call the fire police!”

‘I think she meant firearms police. I called the police and then heard another shot.

‘I looked back and the man was crumpled on the ground.

‘He had a gunshot wound in the temple. He was only yards from me. I had looked at him eye-to-eye during the chase and he said nothing just looked determined to get her. 

‘The people in the shop were helping the woman. We couldn’t see an injury at first but there was a bullet wound. She was ok, though it didn’t look too serious.’ 

On her intervention, the witness said: ‘I don’t consider myself a hero. I’m just old school. I couldn’t leave the woman I had to help.’

A witness, aged 60, who lives opposite the park, told Metro how three shots rang out as parkgoers ‘ran for their lives’. 

The witness said: ‘There sounded like three. Then people were running outside my house along the road.

‘They were running for their lives. That park is busy all times of the day. After the shots, the paramedics and police came and a woman who was injured was taken away in an ambulance.

‘They covered her in a thermal blanket to keep her warm. It is so horrible we have children in the house and they use the park. We do not feel safe now.’

A worker at a nearby shop was passing as the scene unfolded. 

He told Metro: ‘People were scattering and a woman shouted ‘someone’s been shot’. I ran for it. I didn’t know if there was someone with a gun on the loose.’

Detectives are collecting CCTV footage from the area while forensics are examining a firearm recovered at the scene. 

A police cordon remains in place and a crime scene tent at the point where the shooting took place of fifty yards into Clissold Park.

Officers have recovered a firearm believed to be involved in the shooting.

Forensic tents have been set up outside the park, which is known for its tennis court, deck and paddling pools.

Detective Superintendent Oliver Richter said: ‘We understand this is a deeply distressing incident for those involved, the witnesses in the park and the community in the surrounding area.

‘We are in the early stages of the investigation, but we believe the man and woman are known to one another and at this time, we are treating it as an isolated incident and there is no wider risk to the public.

‘Officers are working at pace to establish the full circumstances of the incident and will continue to support those who are affected.

‘A crime scene remains in place for investigation with an increased police presence.’