UPDATE: Romford shooting witness describes ‘river of blood and terror’

Around 150 terrified revellers witnessed the savage shooting of a young man outside Liquid and Envy nightclub, Romford, in the early hours of this morning.

The 26-year-old, from Dagenham, was shot three times in the leg and groin at close range, in Exchange Street, at around 3.15am.

It is thought there had been an earlier altercation between two groups inside the club, in South Street, which reignited outside at kicking-out time.

One witness believes the weapon, a handgun, was brought to the scene by three hooded white men in a silver Ford Fiesta.

The witness, a 19-year-old man who asked not to be named, described seeing “a river of blood” around the victim.

“It sounded like a cap gun going off at first, but then it looked like a massacre,” he said. “When people realised someone had actually been shot, everybody dropped to the ground and started screaming.”

The man’s friends removed their t-shirts to stem the bleeding while they awaited medics.

Another passer-by, with army training, used his belt to form a tourniquet.

The witness said: “The guy’s brother was there and he had his head in his hands, shouting and screaming his name. He was a mess.”

“Everybody was tying to rush back inside [the club] to get to safety, but the bouncers weren’t allowing anyone back in.” said the witness. “It was manic; people were terrified - no-one wanted to be outside with a gunman on the loose.”

Another witness, who helped the victim at the scene, claims the shooting is a result of a long-running dispute between rivals.

He said: “It’s something that’s got out of hand.”

He added: “When I was there, he was still conscious but not saying very much, he was going into shock. The smell from the gun and the blood is memorable.”

Around 20 officers attended the scene, as well paramedics from London Ambulance Service (LAS).

Parts of South Street, Exchange Street, and the Brewery, Romford town centre, are cordoned off today.

There was traffic gridlock, caused by the shutting of The Brewery’s multi-storey car park. Detectives and forensics officers have been examining the ground outside Envy, yards away from the car park’s exit, for clues.

It is expected the area outside the nightclub will be shut for most of the day, although some workers in nearby shops were allowed to pass through the police cordon.

The victim is critically ill but stable in an east London hospital.

Officers from Operation Trident - which examines gun crime in London - are investigating, but there have been no arrests, a spokesman for Havering Police said.

They are hunting a white man.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call police on 020 7230 9831 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.