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Stockwell shooting victim tells court of moment bullet hit his face Stockwell shooting victim tells court of moment bullet hit his face
(40 minutes later)
A bystander who was shot in the face at a south London convenience store has described hearing a "crunching sound like grinding teeth" as the bullet struck him.A bystander who was shot in the face at a south London convenience store has described hearing a "crunching sound like grinding teeth" as the bullet struck him.
Roshan Selvakumar, 35, sustained injuries when three masked young men chased a member of a rival gang into the shop in Stockwell and fired two shots through the open door, a court heard. The attack also left five-year-old Thusha Kamaleswaran paralysed after she was shot in the chest. Roshan Selvakumar, 35, sustained injuries when three masked young men chased a member of a rival gang into the shop in Stockwell and fired two shots through the open door, a court heard. The attack left five-year-old Thusha Kamaleswaran paralysed after she was shot in the chest.
In a statement read out to the jury at the Old Bailey in London, Selvakumar, who still has the bullet in his head because doctors say it is too dangerous to remove, said he had been chatting to the shop owner on the evening of 29 March last year when he heard what he thought was gunfire and saw two men running towards the shop.In a statement read out to the jury at the Old Bailey in London, Selvakumar, who still has the bullet in his head because doctors say it is too dangerous to remove, said he had been chatting to the shop owner on the evening of 29 March last year when he heard what he thought was gunfire and saw two men running towards the shop.
"I could see a male on a bicycle firing a gun at them," said Selvakumar, who lives in a flat above the shop. "They both ran through the open door into the back of the shop. I remember them lying down by the fridge.""I could see a male on a bicycle firing a gun at them," said Selvakumar, who lives in a flat above the shop. "They both ran through the open door into the back of the shop. I remember them lying down by the fridge."
The jury has heard how the three attackers from a gang in Brixton had set out on a "mission" into a rival gang's territory earlier that evening. After chasing their intended victims into the shop, the court heard how they circled the shop on bicycles before one of them took out a handgun and fired at least two shots. The jury has heard how the three attackers from a gang in Brixton had set out on a mission into a rival gang's territory that evening. After chasing their intended victims into the shop, the court heard how they circled the shop on bicycles before one of them took out a handgun and fired at least two shots.
Selvakumar said: "I became aware the male on the bike was now sitting on the frame and the bike was stopped in front of the shop, about a metre away."Selvakumar said: "I became aware the male on the bike was now sitting on the frame and the bike was stopped in front of the shop, about a metre away."
He said lots of things happened "very quickly" as the boys inside the shop started throwing bottles off the shelves at their attackers. He said lots of things happened very quickly as the boys inside the shop started throwing bottles off the shelves at their attackers.
"I remember bottles smashing on the floor by my feet. I was aware the man on the bike was firing the gun. I suddenly felt a blow to my face. I heard a crunching sound that sounded like teeth grinding. "I remember bottles smashing on the floor by my feet. I was aware the man on the bike was firing the gun. I suddenly felt a blow to my face. I heard a crunching sound that sounded like teeth grinding."
Selvakumar said at first he thought he had been hit by a bottle before one of the shop staff told him he had been shot. Selvakumar said he thought he had been hit by a bottle until one of the shop staff told him he had been shot.
"I was holding my face with my hands, blood was pouring everywhere.""I was holding my face with my hands, blood was pouring everywhere."
Seven seconds later, the gunman fired again, hitting Thusha in the chest. The five-year-old, whose uncle owns the shop, had been playing with her brother and sister in the back of the store but came to the front of the shop to see what was causing the commotion. Seven seconds later, the gunman fired again, hitting Thusha in the chest. The girl, whose uncle owns the shop, had been playing with her brother and sister in the back of the store but came to the front to see what was causing the commotion.
The bullet went through her chest and out of her back and Thusha went into cardiac arrest on the shop floor. Prosecutor Edward Brown QC said that although she was initially responsive, her breathing was laboured and she had "a blank or bewildered look on her face". The bullet went through Thusha's chest and out of her back and she went into cardiac arrest. Prosecutor Edward Brown QC said that although she was initially responsive, her breathing was laboured and she had "a blank or bewildered look on her face".
"She would squeeze the hand of the police officer who was tending to her," he added. "She would squeeze the hand of the police officer who was tending to her."
Thusha underwent emergency surgery in the street. Her condition deteriorated on the way to hospital.Thusha underwent emergency surgery in the street. Her condition deteriorated on the way to hospital.
Dr Malcolm Tunnicliffe, of King's College hospital, south-east London, told the court on Friday Thusha was "clinically dead" for between one and two minutes when the ambulance arrived at the emergency department. Dr Malcolm Tunnicliffe, of King's College hospital, told the court on Friday Thusha was clinically dead for one to two minutes when the ambulance arrived at the emergency department.
In a statement read to the court, he said: "Without this surgery, it is unlikely she would have survived."In a statement read to the court, he said: "Without this surgery, it is unlikely she would have survived."
Kazeem Kolawole, 19, Anthony McCalla, 19, and Nathaniel Grant, 21, all deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Thusha and to Selvakumar.Kazeem Kolawole, 19, Anthony McCalla, 19, and Nathaniel Grant, 21, all deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Thusha and to Selvakumar.
All three also deny the attempted murder of Roshaun Bryan – one of the two men who ran into the shop – and having a firearm with intent to endanger life. All three also deny the attempted murder of Roshaun Bryan, one of the two men who ran into the shop, and having a firearm with intent to endanger life.
The jury has heard that the attack was the result of an escalating feud between rival gangs in Brixton and nearby Stockwell. He said the defendants were closely associated with the OC (One Chance) and Gas (Guns and Shanks) gangs and were involved in an escalating conflict with members of the ABM (All About Money) gang from Stockwell.The jury has heard that the attack was the result of an escalating feud between rival gangs in Brixton and nearby Stockwell. He said the defendants were closely associated with the OC (One Chance) and Gas (Guns and Shanks) gangs and were involved in an escalating conflict with members of the ABM (All About Money) gang from Stockwell.
The trial continues.The trial continues.