Murder probe after street fight shooting

Detectives launched a murder inquiry today after a man was fatally shot in the chest during a street fight.

Police and paramedics were called to Whyteville House, Forest Gate, east London, shortly after 1am, when residents heard gunfire.

They discovered a young man, believed to be in his early 20s, on a first floor landing with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

He was taken to the Royal London Hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead about three hours later.

Detective Inspector Mark Dunne said the man was shot when a fight that began on the forecourt of a disused garage continued inside the building.

He said: "We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who left Whyteville House immediately after the incident and walked down Studley Road towards Green Lane."

Five men in their 20s were arrested in surrounding streets. They all remained in custody at separate east London police stations.

Whyteville House, in Studley Road, off Upton Lane, is mainly made up of local authority and housing trust properties.

The spokesman added that a post-mortem examination will be held at Poplar Mortuary tomorrow.

Officers from Scotland Yard's Trident unit, which specialises in probing shootings, are responsible for the inquiry.

* Anyone with information should call 020 8721 4906 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.