Detectives investigating the shooting in Clapton’s ‘murder mile’ area on Saturday night say it was not gang related.

Joseph Burke-Monerville, 19, from Islington, was gunned down while sitting in a parked car in Hindrey Road, at around 8.20pm in what appears to be a random attack.

Witnesses heard three shots and Mr Burke-Monerville was rushed to hospital but died at 11.10pm. A post-mortem which took place 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 man – said to be Joseph’s twin – escaped unhurt.

No arrests have been made, but two suspects were seen running from the scene – one black, the other light skinned, possibly Asian or Turkish – towards the nearby Pembury Estate.

Lower Clapton Road, together with Upper Clapton Road, used to be known as ‘murder mile’ after eight men were killed in the area between 1999 and 2001, but the crime rate has dropped dramatically in recent years.

One witness, an 18-year-old who did not want to be named, said: “I was walking home from the shop when I saw a black man and a white man walking down the main road and turn into Hindrey Road. After about 30 seconds I heard three loud bangs,”

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

A 70-year-old woman who also wished to remain anonymous said: “I heard the shots – one, two, three.

“I was on the phone to my son and he told me not to dare look out the house.

“It has been a lot better around here recently. There hasn’t been anything like this for many years.”

Another person, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, added: “With this happening now, I don’t think people will feel safe.”

One tribute to Mr Burke-Monerville on social networking site Twitter said “his smile will charm the angels”.

Det Ch Insp 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.