Police seek gun raid witnesses

POLICE hunting masked raiders who shot and killed a 32-year-old man in a newsagent's shop yesterday issued appeals for witnesses.

The man, who was blasted in the stomach with a sawn-off single barrel shotgun, died on the operating table early yesterday. The shooting happened after two raiders burst into R&R Agencies in King Street, Hammersmith, west London, on Monday evening.

The victim, a single London man originally from Sri Lanka, was working temporarily in the shop with a woman and three other men. The robbers demanded cash from the till. They grabbed an estimated pounds 20 to pounds 30 then asked for cigarettes.

'They then turned their attention to the victim. The regular staff moved to the back of the shop. They then heard a single shot fired,' police said.

A member of staff and an off- duty police officer chased the two robbers but lost them as they ran to Stamford Brook Tube station.

Police appealed for anyone, especially any customers at the Threshers off-licence opposite the shop, who may have seen two white males acting suspiciously in the area, to come forward.