Man in his 20s is shot dead by hooded gunman on doorstep of his £500,000 northwest London home in the capital's 78th murder this year

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A man in his 20s was shot dead by a hooded gunman on the doorstep of his £500,000 northwest London home, as police today launch a murder investigation - the 78th this year in the capital. 

Armed officers swooped on Hansel Road, Kilburn, in the early hours of this morning after reports of a shooting.

Neighbours say they heard 'several gunshots' before two hooded men were seen fleeing the scene in a car, whose driver had been waiting nearby.

When police arrived they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound near to a block of flats - where forensic teams have today been seen collecting evidence.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, despite efforts by paramedics to save him.

Police have now launched a manhunt, with no arrests yet made, while homicide detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command have launched a murder investigation.

Armed officers swooped on Hansel Road, Kilburn, in the early hours of this morning after reports of a shooting

Homicide detectives and forensic officers (pictured) from the Met's Specialist Crime Command are investigating after the shooting in the early hours of this morning

Forensic officers were today seen putting up a blue tent around the property where the shooting took place

A crime scene remains in place today as detectives investigate the shooting.

Today a neighbour, who lives near the scene, said how he was sitting on his sofa when he heard 'several' gunshots. 

The man said: 'I looked out of the window and saw the two guys.

'They were wearing hoodies and dressed in black. The car was black or blue. The final shot was after a while. As soon as I heard the shot I saw the flash.

'They were in no massive rush to leave.

'The two guys got into the car and there was a driver waiting. They drove off on Kilburn Park Road. There's only one entrance and exit to the estate.'

He added: 'Just after the shooting a jeep came in and out of the estate two or three times.'

The neighbour, who has lived in the flats since they were built, said he knew of the victim. He said: 'He was about 20 or 21.

A crime scene (pictured) remains in place today as detectives investigate the shooting in Hansel Road, Kilburn

Officers have launched a manhunt after the shooting this morning. The Metropolitan Police say no arrests have yet been made

'He would often order delivery takeaways and collect them at a flat away from his house. He would never order to his address.

'My children might know his name, but I don't want to involve them.

'I suspect it was a deliberate attack. They don't come for you unless you are involved in gangs.'

The development, named Chase House, was completed in 2013. It comprises of a mixture of social and private housing.

Though the average house price is around £500,000, prices vary wildly, with some selling for around £450,000, while top floor apartments are currently on the market for more than £800,000.

According to one estate agent, Kilburn is a 'down-to-earth area' four miles from central London, while it describes the development as 'modern and well located'.  

Residents say the area has had issues with anti-social behaviour, believed to be 'drug-related', however they say there had not been a shooting 'up until now'.

One local resident who gave his name as Vik, 35, said: 'Historically people have complained about anti-social behaviour which is largely drug-related in this area.' 

Another resident, Satoshi, 38, who works in IT, said: 'We heard the sounds of about 10 gunshots at around midnight.

'It was so loud that we were afraid to go outside to have a look, we wanted to be safe and waited for the police to arrive 20 minutes later. 

'At around 1.30am, a man left the flat yelling, it sounded like he was crying - I think he was related to the victim.'

Today, Chief Superintendent Roy Smith, borough commander for the North West BCU, said police were working to support the victim's family.

He said: 'Firstly my thoughts are with the victim's family and loved ones and I know colleagues will be working hard to support them.

'Officers from every part of the Met are out on our streets using every tactic available to stop mindless violence like this.

'I am incredibly proud of and grateful to colleagues from both the Met and London Ambulance Service who rushed towards danger to try and save this young man's life – as they would do for any one of us.

Police have cordoned-off a large area near to flats today, while a blue tent has been set up

The police cordon extends around the side of the building near to an open area with trees

'We can only combat violence like this by working together and we really do need your help and support.

'Officers will be out on patrol in the local area over the coming days and I would ask that you stop and talk with them if you have any information which might assist our investigation.'

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD140/12Aug.

Alternatively call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The latest Met Police murder investigation, which is the 78th in the capital this year,  comes after a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death with a machete in front of horrified shoppers on Oxford Street in an unrelated incident. 

Shoppers looked on as Jeremy Meneses-Chalarca was chased by a man wielding a machete at 5.30pm on Saturday. 

Jeremy's heartbroken next-door neighbour broke down in tears when she visited the murder scene this week.

She said: 'He was a sweet boy and he was always smiling. He was a very intelligent boy and he was very good at maths. It is so terrible. He only celebrated his 17th birthday in July.'

LONDON MURDERS 2020

Where the 78 murders across the capital this year have happened

• William Algar, 53, Jan-03, Barnes
• Takieddine Boudhane, 30, Jan-03, Finsbury Park
• Krasimir Kartikov, 60, Jan-13, Croydon
• Harinder Kumar, 22, Jan-19, Seven Kings
• Narinder Singh, 26, Jan-19, Seven Kings
• Baljit Singh, 34, Jan-19, Seven Kings
• Tahereh Pirali-Dashti, 40, Jan-20, Barnet
• Beverley Denahy, 61, Jan-22, Chingford
• Unnamed man, 60s, Jan-24, Clapton
• Louis Johnson, 16, Jan-27, Croydon
• Eraj Seifi, 46, Jan-29, Queens Park
• Unnamed man, 33, Feb-12, North Finchley
• James Dowdell, 54, Feb-17, Chelsea
• Sundeep Ghuman, 36, Feb-18, Thamesmead
• Lennox Nigel Alcendor, 42, Feb-21, Cricklewood
• Li-Qing Wang, 35, Feb-25, Waltham Forest
• Tyler Roye, 24, Feb-26, Croydon
• Archie Beston, 19, Feb-29, Kingston
• Asante Campbell, 24, Feb-29, Hendon
• David Siirak, 27, Mar-01, Hillingdon
• Shanur Ahmed, 16, Mar-03, Newham
• Ricardo Fuller, 24, Mar-07, Ilford
• Vanita Nowell, 68, Mar-08, Southwark
• Damani Mauge, 17, Mar-08, Croydon
• Cameron Murfitt, 18, Mar-15, Greenwich
• Tracey Kidd, 57, Mar-17, Hackney
• Shadika Mohsin Patel, 40, Mar-19, Newham
• Abdullahi Mahmoud, 29, Mar-19, Enfield
• Stefan Melnyk, 54, Mar-22, Acton
• Kelly Stewart, 41, Mar-26, Barking
• Tomas Macionis, 35, Mar-31, Walthamstow
• Sonia Teresa Burton Calvi, 56, Apr-01, Stockwell
• Edgar Aguilera Daza, 59, Apr-01, Stockwell
• Maryan Ismail, 57, Apr-06, Edmonton
• Ralph Gibson, 42, Apr-15, Putney
• Denise Michelle Keane-Barnett-Simmons, 26, Apr-16, Brent
• Mark Baker, 62, Apr-19, Walthamstow
• Jay John, 27, Apr-25, Hackney
• Baljit Singh, 37, Apr-25, Hayes
• Pavinya Nithiyakumar, 1, Apr-26, Ilford
• Nigish Nithiyakumar, 3, Apr-26, Ilford
• David Gomoh, 24, Apr-26, Newham
• Anthony Rooks, 79, May-04, Holloway
• Yonas Haile, 32, May-05, Hammersmith
• Francois Kablan, 19, May-13, Southwark
• Jemal Ebrahim, 23, May-13, Haringey
• Chad Gordon, 27, May-18, Haringey
• Oluwamayowa Adeymi, 21, Jun-05, Hackney
• Nicole Smallman, 27, Jun-07, Wembley
• Bibaa Henry, 46, Jun-07, Wembley
• Alexander Kareem, 20, Jun-08, Shepherd's Bush
• Unnamed woman, 50s, Jun-10, Lewisham
• Mihai Gae, 48, Jun-13, Hornsey
• Kyle Kelson, 25, Jun-19, North Cheam
• Wayne Hoskyns, 41, Jun-19, Bexley
• Steve Morrison, 30, Jun-23, Epping
• Sayagi Sivanantham, 5, Jun-30, Mitcham
• Imani Allaway-Muir, 22, Jul-04, Islington
• Khloemae Loy, 23, Jul-05, Greenwich
• Donnell Rhule, 18, Jul-08, Dulwich
• Muhammed Samir Uddin, 19, Jul-10, Poplar
• Jahreau Shepherd, 30, Jul-11, Kennington
• Dean Edwards, 43, Jul-12, Penge
• Ahmed Yasin-Ali, 18, Jul-15, Maida Vale
• Billy McCullagh, 27, Jul-16, Harlesden
• Peter Petrou, 37, Jul-16, Kilburn
• Skender Ismaili, 30, Jul-17, Enfield
• Glenroy Joseph, 60, Jul-20, Ealing
• Elias Biad, 5m, Jul-22, Wembley
• Stella Frew, 38, Jul-24, Sutton
• Frank Bulbrook, 34, Jul-24, Chislehurst
• Abraham Haile, 56, Jul-28, Camden
• Christopher George, 26, Jul-29, Enfield
• Nathan Mitra, 32, Jul-30, Hounslow
• Therasia Gordon, 44, Aug-06, Enfield
• Esther Egbon, 30, Aug-08, Dagenham
• Jeremy Meneses-Chalarca, 17, Aug-08, Westminster
• Unnamed man, 20s, Aug-12, Kilburn

The woman told how she lives next to his mother, who is from Colombia, adding: 'She is not very good right now.

'My daughter came to me last night and showed me a picture of Jeremy next to a dove, but I thought it cannot be true.

'He was studying at college, but he never talked about what he wanted to do next. He was very quiet, he was not outspoken, but a very friendly boy.'

Three men aged 18 have been arrested on suspicion of murder. Two were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Last week, a man and woman were found dead hours apart from each other in a potential murder-suicide in Dagenham.

The woman, in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene in east London at roughly 12.50pm on August 8. Her death is being treated as suspicious.

Two hours later, a man, also in his 30s, was found dead on a road less than a mile away. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

Detectives believe the two deaths are linked and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.