Police have launched an urgent manhunt for a gunman after three people were injured in a suspected shooting in south London this afternoon.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene at around 5pm following the terrifying attack which is believed to have taken place at the Belle Vue pub in Clapham Common.
The Met Police said that a firearm, believed to be a shotgun, was fired from a moped near Clapham Common South Side before the suspects fled the scene.
Police said that two people, both believed to be women, sustained shotgun pellet injuries, while a third person was injured by the moped. MailOnline understands that the incident is not terror-related.
Paramedics with the London Ambulance Service have taken the injured victims to hospital. At this stage, police do not believe that any of those injured are in a life-threatening condition.
Henry Smith, who was in the Belle Vue pub with three friends at the time of the attack, said that two women were left bleeding after being shot inside the pub.
He told MailOnline: ‘There was a really loud bang and broken glass. There were two people who ran past the window having crashed their moped.
‘There was a crashed moped outside and they shot a shotgun through the window. I’m not sure if they were aiming for someone. Two women got shot in the pub. They were alright but bleeding.
‘One was shot on the side of the head or got hit by shotgun shrapnel.’
Mr Smith, who said there were only around 10 others inside the pub on top of his group, said he ‘heard a massive bang’ and that the suspects were being ‘chased by police.
Police have launched a manhunt for a gunman after three people were injured in a south London shooting this afternoon. A picture posted on social media appears to show a sawn-off shotgun discarded in the street
A weapon appears to have been left at the scene while a suspected bullet hole is left in a window
A moped is discarded on the street by Clapham Common station following the incident this afternoon
Emergency crews rushed to the scene at around 5pm on Friday following the terrifying incident which is believed to have taken place outside the Belle Vue pub in Clapham Common. Shattered glass can be seen on one of the pub windows
‘There were lots of police very soon and now its’s cordoned off,’ he added.
‘The two women were getting first aid. I went outside and had a look. Part of the shotgun was in the road and part of it was in the pavement – we went to another pub.’
Richard Herbert, owner of Red Vine restaurant on Clapham High Street, said that he heard two gunshots from the eatery before seeing a motorcycle crashed on the pavement in the aftermath.
From his restaurant on the edge of the cordon, Mr Herbert said: ‘Two gunshots are all we heard.
‘By the time I saw anything there was a motorbike on the pavement crashed.
‘We are just outside the cordon now.’
Douglas De Souza, owner of Headquarterz hairdressers on Clapham High Street saw the ordeal from his shop.
The 48-year-old recalled: ‘They were being chased by the police and they dropped the bike and ran.
Police cordoned off the area in Clapham Common as they investigated the suspected shooting
Three people have been injured in Clapham, south London, London Ambulance Service said, following reports of a shooting incident.
Emergency crews were called at around 5pm on Friday to the incident in Clapham Common South Side, the service said.
In a statement, it added: ‘We sent a number of resources including ambulance crews, operational managers, advanced paramedics and London’s air ambulance.
‘We treated three people at the scene and took two to a London major trauma centre and one to hospital.’
‘The police were chasing them and they came up behind then and I just heard the shots. They dropped the gun after.
‘I have my doubts about it being a shotgun because it sounded like a fake gun but then they ran away down Clapham Park Road.
‘There were seven or eight people in my shop at the time.
‘We are within the cordon – we haven’t left the shop yet. We are waiting for police and they are outside taking pictures of the evidence.
‘The gun was very small. Its been bagged up now.
‘The shots were quick in succession – like bang bang.’
A local barber said he was left ‘shocked’ after hearing shooting close to his shop near Clapham Common.
The man, who gave his name as Kaka, 34, who works in Chop Barbers, said: ‘I was in the shop just before 5pm and I heard a gunshot up the road.
‘We were all shocked because it was so close, the police were everywhere afterwards.’
Several roads in the area have been cordoned off.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called today (Friday 1) at 4.59pm to reports of an incident in Clapham Common South Side.
‘We sent a number of resources including ambulance crews, operational managers, advanced paramedics and London’s air ambulance.
‘We treated three people at the scene and took two to a London major trauma centre and one to hospital.’
A crime scene is in place and there have been no arrests.
