Sydenham shooting: Man 'unintentionally shot himself'

The man was pronounced dead in Sydenham Road on Sunday

Police are investigating reports that a man who died in southeast London accidentally shot himself.

The 25-year-old was found wounded in Sydenham Road in Sydenham at 15:45 BST on Sunday and died at the scene.

Det Ch Insp Richard Leonard of the Met Police said officers believed "the man unintentionally discharged a firearm resulting in his fatal injury".

One eyewitness said the dead man "came to shoot someone else, but he ended up shooting himself".

A 56-year-old woman living on nearby Venner Road said: "The bullet bounced off a car window. You can see on the car window where the bullet bounced off it.

"After it happened, the boy he came to shoot stood there filming him."

Forensic teams attended the scene in nearby Venner Road

The victim's next of kin have been informed but he is yet to be formally identified.

One man has been arrested in connection with the investigation and remains in custody.

Two men drinking in a nearby pub heard one gunshot, but believed it to be a car backfiring.

They said they had not heard any commotion before or after the shot.

One man, who did not want to be named, said: "We've heard three or four different stories - we've heard it was a guy on a moped, someone in a car and then that the [victim] did it to himself."

Witnesses have given different accounts of the shooting

A shopkeeper on the high street said he had heard the victim had accidentally shot himself.

"A group of guys were sitting in a car by the [Lloyds] bank and a big guy came up to them with a shotgun.

"They all got out of the car and ran so the guy decided to damage the car with the back of the gun.

"As he was hitting the windows the gun went off and he shot himself - that's what we've been told."

In response to the incident, Ellie Reeves, Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, tweeted: "Shocked and saddened to learn of the fatal shooting in Sydenham this afternoon.

"My thoughts are with the victim and their family. This violence has no place in our community."