LONDON (BN24) — A man has been convicted at the Old Bailey over his role in a gangland shooting in east London that left a nine-year-old girl with a bullet lodged in her brain, in what police described as a “miracle” survival.
Javon Riley, 33, was found guilty on Monday of assisting a gunman who opened fire outside the Evin Restaurant in Dalston on May 29, 2023. Prosecutors said the attack was a targeted assassination ordered by the Tottenham Turks gang against rivals, the Hackney Turks, who were sitting outside the restaurant.
The gunman, riding a Ducati Monster motorbike, fired six rounds in just two seconds. One of the bullets missed the intended targets and struck the child inside the restaurant as she ate ice cream with her family. Police later said they were only “millimeters” away from launching a murder investigation.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, underwent extensive surgery, including the rebuilding of her skull with titanium. Doctors were unable to remove the bullet from her brain, and she is expected to live with lasting physical and cognitive difficulties. Her mother said the family’s life had been shattered, describing how their daughter — once full of energy and adventure — now struggles with weakness on one side of her body, emotional trauma, and the reality of living with a titanium plate in her skull.
“This was not just an accident,” her mother said in a victim statement. “Even if our daughter was not the intended target, those responsible were still attempting to take lives. It is brutal and inhumane. Nothing will ever be the same for our family.”
Three men were injured during the attack: Nasser Ali, 43, who was hit in the backbone, Kenan Aydogdu, 45, shot in the leg, and Mustafa Kiziltan, 35, struck in the thigh. All survived after scrambling for cover.
Prosecutors told the court Riley played a “key role” before, during, and after the shooting, even though he was not a gang member. He carried out surveillance in the weeks before the attack, including sitting in a bar across from the restaurant drinking cocktails while observing potential targets.
After the gunman unleashed the attack, Riley helped him escape, disposed of the weapon, and arranged for cars used in the plot to be set on fire. He claimed he had been offered £40,000 to take part in what he thought was a robbery involving 60 kilos of drugs, and denied knowing the true purpose of the operation. He refused to identify who recruited him, saying he feared for his family’s safety.
Riley was convicted of three counts of attempted murder, relating to the rival gang members, and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the girl.
The gunman, who remains at large, is believed to have connections in south London. Detectives have offered a £15,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
“This isn’t a regular case,” said Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway of the Metropolitan Police. “This was a completely innocent child who was shot. The gunman fired six rounds into a busy restaurant where people were just dining. As long as gangs want to send a message or harm their rivals, they’ll stop at nothing.”
Judge Mark Lucraft KC said Riley will be sentenced on September 12, warning he faces a “lengthy” prison term.
