POLICE 'OPEN-MINDED' OVER MURDER

The 24-year-old victim died at the scene of the shooting in west Ealing, west London.

The Metropolitan Police have launched a murder investigation but no arrests have yet been made.

A member of the public alerted the emergency services, who found the body in an alley off Cavendish Avenue, west Ealing.

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 8.48pm to reports of an assault in Cavendish Avenue. We sent along a fast response car, an ambulance crew and duty manager. An adult male was dead at the scene."

The path was used as a shortcut to a nearby housing estate.

Police said they were keeping an open mind regarding a possible motive for the killing.

They said they believe they know who the dead man is but will not release his name until he is formally identified and his next of kin have been informed.

Detective Chief Inspector Fiona Mallon from Operation Trident, which investigates black-on-black killings, said: "I urge anyone who witnessed the shooting or anyone who was in the area shortly before or after the shooting to please come forward to police with information.

"Did you see anyone acting suspiciously in the Cavendish Avenue area at about 2050 last night? Did you see anyone run or drive off at speed from that area shortly before 2100?"