Gangster gun battle ends in death

A fierce machinegun battle and car chase ended today with the body of a man being dumped in a bullet-riddled car outside Battersea police station as its driver ran inside screaming for help.

The latest victim of a terrifying spiral of gun crime in London had suffered multiple wounds. He was declared dead by a Met medical examiner just after midnight.

The Ford Mondeo in which he had been a passenger had at least 10 bullet holes in it of at least three inches diameter each.

Their size and number mean the killing has all the hallmarks of a drug-related Yardie attack involving the gangsters' favoured weapon, the Uzi sub-machinegun, known as the "spray and pray" because of its fire-rate of 600 rounds a minute and the fact that it is notoriously difficult to control.

Battersea police station is just half a mile from where estate agent Tim Robinson was stabbed to death by carjackers last week.

This morning's incident began at the busy Wandsworth gyratory system, where the blue Mondeo was ambushed by the killers - driving a silver Audi A3 - who remained at large today.

Detectives are unsure how long the shooting and chase lasted. One officer at the scene said: "It may have been a running battle or it may have happened at one point. Ballistics experts have been called in to determine exactly what weapon was used."

A Scotland Yard spokesman added: "At this early stage police are working to establish the scene or scenes of the incident where the victim received his injuries."

Long stretches of road in Wandsworth as well as Battersea Bridge Road were cordoned off, causing traffic chaos during the rush hour, as officers conducted a fingertip search for spent cartridges. Senior officers from Operation Trident, the Scotland Yard's specialist black-on-black gun crime unit, will take control of the investigation.

The driver of the Mondeo is being held at Battersea police station and is understood to be helping officers with their enquiries. The victim is not being named as formal identification has not yet taken place. A post-mortem is expected to be carried out later today.

Officers covered the front of the Mondeo with a blue blanket to shield members of the public from the bloody scene.

People living near the station were unaware of the killing. One, who did not want to be named, said: "I didn't hear anything from my house. But I had friends round and when I went to take them to a cab I saw that the whole area had been cordoned off and there were about six police cars. It was very quietly done, but that does not make it any less disturbing."

The murder came as Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens spoke out about "today's generation of arrogant, abusive, violent but often smart and highly manipulative young thugs".

He said: "Society urgently needs a respite from the brutally anti-social activitiesof these disaffected young hooligans whose sense of right and wrong has been utterly eroded."

He went on: "These offenders commit most of the serious crimes and must be taught that their activities simply will not be tolerated. Some have been utterly desensitised and have no acceptance of authority ... it is little wonder these youths turn to gang leaders for their inspiration."

Commander Alan Brown, head of the Trident taskforce, has warned that shootings in the capital involving drug gangs are running at two a day this year and spreading to previously untouched areas.

Last year the number of gun murders in London reached 36, a 44 per cent increase on 2000, while the use of guns in muggings soared by more than 50 per cent.

By mid-morning the Ford Mondeo had been taken away from outside Battersea police station for forensic investigation and Battersea Bridge Road had been reopened to traffic.

There were few signs of the high drama that had unfolded the night before. Ironically, however, a large poster pinned up outside the large red brick police station declared "Stop the Shooting" - part of the Operation Trident campaign.

Detectives are appealing for anyone who may have seen the Mondeo in the vicinity of Battersea police station or in any incident in the Wandsworth area at around midnight to call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Two youths have been charged with the gunpoint carjacking of a BMW from a Southgate chef which resulted in a 100mph chase along the North Circular.

A 17-year-old from Canning Town and Sultan Ummal, 19, a student from Plaistow, have been charged with robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and possession of a firearm to commit robbery. The youth was also charged with driving without insurance. Both were appearing at Enfield magistrates today.

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