Alexander Kareem: Family's plea a year on from fatal shooting

Alexander Kareem was killed in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity

The family of a man who was shot dead on a west London street a year ago have renewed an appeal to find his killers.

Police believe Alexander Kareem was killed in a case of mistaken identity as he made his way to a friend's house in Shepherd's Bush on 8 June 2020.

In a statement, his family said it had been an "unbelievably challenging year" for them and "the hardest part of all is that this story has not ended".

"We believe that someone knows what has happened," they added.

Mr Kareem, 20, had been riding an e-scooter along Askew Road from an off-licence when it is thought a white Range Rover drove past him and shots were fired from it.

The vehicle was found burned out 20 minutes later on Ascott Avenue in Ealing.

A white Range Rover was later found burnt out three miles away in Ealing

Reflecting on Mr Kareem's death, his family said that 2021 "was going to be his 'his year', a whole year of milestones he was so excited about".

"Like many others over the last year we would have been spending time as a family, bonding over the small things that lockdown brought.

"Instead, we have spent most of it in complete shock and sadness," they said.

The family revealed that Mr Kareem's 21st birthday was meant to be in March but "what should have been balloons and birthday cake was spent taking flowers to his graveside".

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Appealing for help to find his killers, they said that "knowing no one else will have to go through what we have at the hands of these people, will enable us to stop searching".

"We want to start to look forward to a life in which we hope to live by Alexander's example of leading with kindness," they added.

Officers will be patrolling the area where Mr Kareem was shot during the day and the Met said anyone with information about what happened should approach them.

Det Ch Insp Wayne Jolley said there would be "no stone unturned on this case".