A seven-year-old girl has suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting close to a central London church. Police responded at 13:31 GMT to reports shots were fired from a moving vehicle, as a remembrance service took place at St Aloysius Church in Euston.
The Met Police said another girl, aged 12, and four women, aged 21, 41, 48 and 54, were also injured.
The 48-year-old may have life-changing injuries while the 21-year-old’s condition is not life-threatening.
A police representative said the other two women were not in a life-threatening condition and that the 12-year-old girl had been treated for a minor leg injury.
The girl was taken to a central London hospital at about 14:05 and “remains in hospital in a life-threatening condition”.
In a statement, the force said an “urgent investigation” was under way and details of the incident were “still emerging”.
“At this early stage, there have been no arrests,” it said.
London Ambulance Service and an air ambulance were also called to the scene in Phoenix Road.
Detectives have urged anyone with video footage or CCTV to contact the force.
Transport for London (TfL) say road closures remain in place while police investigate at the scene and some buses are on diversion.
Supt Ed Wells said any shooting incident was “unacceptable, but for multiple people, including two children, to be injured in a shooting in the middle of a Saturday afternoon is shocking”.
“Our thoughts are with all the victims, but in particular with the seven-year-old girl.
“An investigation into this dreadful attack is already well under way.
“I can assure the communities of Camden and beyond that we will do everything we possibly can to identify and bring to justice those who were responsible.”
He added that there would be “an increased visible police presence in the area through the weekend and into the days ahead”.
Photographer Simon Lamrock said when he first arrived at the Catholic church, people had been evacuated through a side entrance.
“It’s a very busy area. All the local residents had come out to find out what was going on,” Mr Lamrock said.
“There was shock and surprise. That was the mood of people trying to work out what had happened.
“Police and emergency services were on scene very, very fast.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the shooting as “deeply distressing”.
He said a police investigation was “now under way”.
Mr Khan added: “I am in close contact with the Met Police to determine what happened.”
