Jospeh Burke-Monerville

A teenager from Islington died in hospital after a shooting in an area of Hackney known as ‘murder mile’ on Saturday Night.

Joseph Burke Monerville

Joseph Burke-Monerville, 19, a former pupil at St Aloysius College, in Archway, was gunned down while sitting in a parked car in Clapton at around 8.20pm, in what appears to be a random attack.

Witnesses heard three shots and Mr Burke-Monerville, a student at London Metropolitan University, in Holloway, was rushed to hospital but died at 11.10pm.

A post mortem examination which took place at Poplar Mortuary yesterday gave the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head.

A 22-year-old also in the car was shot and remains in a serious but stable condition while another 19-year-old – said to be Joseph’s twin – escaped unhurt.

Police said the shootings were not gang-related.

No arrests have been made, but two suspects were seen running from the scene – one black, the other light skinned, possibly Asian or Turkish. Police are urging people to come forward with any information about the shooting.

Lower Clapton Road, together with Upper Clapton Road, became known as Murder Mile after eight men were killed in the area in two years in the last decade, although the crime rate has dropped in recent years.

One witness, an 18-year-old who did not want to be named, saw two men were wearing coloured bandanas walk into the road, then heard three loud bangs.

He added: “It’s unnerved me a bit because my family live nearby.”

Tributes to Mr Burke-Monerville appeared on Twitter throughout Sunday.

One said: “I always hear about gun crimes, never thought my brother will ever be a victim. RIP Joseph Burke-Monerville.”

Another said the killing was “disgusting” and that Joseph didn’t “live that life”.

They added: “Such a wonderful loving young man. He was gonna do amazing things. His smile will charm the angels. Neva forgotten.x [sic]”

Mr Burke-Monerville had written on Facebook of his excitement about a planned holiday to Magaluf next week, which he said would be “a week off stress”.

Det Ch Ins Kenny McDonald, who is leading the inquiry, said: “Our early inquiries suggest that Joseph and those he was in the car with have no links to gangs. We continue to work to try and establish the motive for this murder.

“I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting and may have seen the incident, or two males fleeing the scene, to contact officers.”

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.