Witness recounts moment she saw shooting at park

A woman who was shot in the torso has been discharged from hospital

A woman has described her shock and disbelief seeing a double shooting unfold in a north London park.

The woman, known as Katie, was jogging in Clissold Park on Wednesday evening. "At the time, I was in shock. I couldn't understand what was happening, part of me thought it had to be a prank or something staged," she said.

The Metropolitan Police have said a man is suspected of shooting a woman in the torso before shooting himself.

He was found dead at the scene and the woman has since been discharged from hospital after treatment.

Warning: Contains disturbing content and graphic descriptions

The park was closed off by police on Thursday morning

Katie told BBC London: "I was jogging in Clissold Park when I heard a loud popping noise – at first it sounded like a firecracker.

"I turned around but didn't see anything unusual. I looked across the playing fields, where children were still running around, and since no-one was panicking, I thought maybe I was overreacting.

"I put my headphones back in, but then I heard the same sound again. This time I felt something wasn't right.

"That's when I heard someone shout: 'He's going to shoot himself'.

"I turned and saw a man holding something to his head. I was staring straight at him when I heard the shot go off, and he collapsed to the ground. For a moment I couldn't process what I was seeing, it didn't feel real."

'Uneasy living here'

She added: "I ran straight towards the man. He was lying on the ground, and another person had already moved the gun away from him. I couldn't grasp the reality of what was happening.

"The man said: 'He's dead. It's not a joke'. I kept thinking maybe he was still alive and I wanted to check for breathing, but I didn't have the courage to touch him.

"The man who shot himself was smartly dressed, proper shoes, suit trousers, which added to my disbelief. The gun was small, silver or metal-looking. It was a handgun."

"At the time, I was in shock. I couldn't understand what was happening, part of me thought it had to be a prank or something staged," Katie said.

"Even as I stood over him, I kept waiting for someone to say, 'You've been tricked'.

"When I saw the blood, I realised it was real, but I still felt detached, almost like I was outside my body. I wanted to help so badly."

She said she now felt "sad and unsettled".

"I keep replaying the moment I saw him standing there, looking towards me, and then collapsing," she said.

"Now louder noises are making me jump. I've found it difficult to focus. I'm still in disbelief.

"It also makes me uneasy living here."

'Whole area was chaotic'

She said the police arrived within about 10 minutes.

"By then the whole area was chaotic, with officers and eventually detectives and an air ambulance," she said.

"They asked me to wait by the gate to give my statement, which I did, and then I walked home on my own."

Reflecting on the aftermath of the shooting, she said: "What surprised me was that no-one from the police asked if I needed support or even gave information about where to find it.

"There were dozens of officers, detectives, and even the air ambulance team, yet not one person checked on the witnesses' wellbeing.

"I think after something that traumatic, it would have made a real difference if someone had at least asked if we were OK or given us details of victim support."

The Met Police has said it signposts witnesses and victims to victim support if asked, but it does not proactively seek witnesses to direct them to support.

The double shooting happened on Wednesday evening

Concerning the incident, the Met Police said the suspect was a man in his 40s and was found at the scene with gunshot wounds.

"Despite the best efforts of the emergency services and medical staff, he died in hospital later that evening," the force said.

Det Supt 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 urge anyone who was at the scene and may be able to help us to reach out."

Specialist officers are supporting the woman who was shot and her family.

Hackney Council said it was "supporting the police with their investigations". The park reopened on Thursday afternoon.

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