The Metropolitan Police has launched a murder investigation after a fatal shooting in West London.

A 40-year-old man was shot dead in a ‘senseless act of violence’ on Friday at around 7.45pm, the force has confirmed.

Up to 50 people, including children, gathered for a memorial service in East Acton when ‘multiple shots’ and ‘disturbance’ were heard by members of the public at the junction of Braybrook Street and Erconwald Street, W12.

In a statement, the Met said the London Ambulance Service treated the wounded man, but, despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family has been informed and is being supported by specialist officers.

A post-mortem examination is scheduled to establish his cause of death, but the victim is believed to have sustained a gunshot wound.

While the probe is still in its early stage, no arrests have been made, but detectives are working ‘at pace’ to determine the full circumstances.

A crime scene remains in place on Braybrook Street.

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of a man whose life was taken in a senseless act of violence.

‘We understand a large number of people had gathered for a memorial service, and what should have been a time to come together in remembrance has instead left a family devastated.’

He continued: ‘We believe between 40 and 50 people, including children, were present when this incident occurred. Someone knows what happened, and we need them to come forward.’

Police want anyone who was around Erconwald Street, Braybrook Street, the surrounding roads, or the Wormwood Scrubs playground between 6pm and 8pm yesterday to ‘think carefully’ about what they saw.

Potential witnesses have been urged to remember whether they noticed anyone ‘carrying or concealing weapons, people on bicycles acting suspiciously, or vehicles being driven at speed’.

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