Chad Gordon killing: Tottenham autistic man fatally shot in face 'by mistake'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56846998

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Chad Gordon was shot in the head at close range after answering his front door

A "gentle giant" was shot dead on his doorstep in north London by mistake, a court has heard.

Chad Gordon, 27, from Haringey, answered the door last May to a pair of assassins intent on revenge during the first coronavirus lockdown, the Old Bailey was told.

Jurors heard the two gunmen were allegedly Mason Sani-Semedo, 19, from Tottenham, and Cameron Robinson, 20, from Dagenham.

They both deny a charge of murder.

'Violent and shocking'

Jurors were told the gunmen went to Mr Gordon's home in Wilshire Gardens by mistake. He lived there with his grandmother and aunt and had been diagnosed with autism.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC added: "Whilst the actual identity of the intended target cannot be known with any certainty, one thing is clear and that is that the person the gunmen ultimately shot dead was not the person they meant to kill.

"No one who knew Chad Gordon can understand why he might have been targeted in such a violent and shocking way and most believe that a mistake must have been made by his killers."

Mr Glasgow suggested the defendants were all out to avenge the death of a friend, Jemal Ebrahim, who had been stabbed five days before.

Jemal Ebrahim, 23, was fatally stabbed on Russell Road on 13 May 2020

Mr Glasgow said the killers arrived on 18 May on a stolen moped.

He added: "His family and friends, who were alerted to the sound of gunfire and the crash as he collapsed to the ground, were quickly beside him but there was nothing that could be done to save him."

Mr Gordon's aunt shouted at the killers as they ran back to the moped.

Without breaking stride, they pointed the gun at her and told her to shut up before escaping, the court heard.

Mr Sani-Samedo and Mr Robinson also both deny a charge of possessing a gun with intent.

Another three defendants are also on trial and deny their part in the murder.

Javarn Carter-Fraser, 23, of Tottenham, gave them petrol to destroy incriminating evidence while Talye Olabisi, 24, and Clive Spencer, 24, of Tottenham, provided a change of clothes, Mr Glasgow told the court.

The trial continues.