'Armed gangster' shot dead by Met marksmen

They opened fire on the man, who was armed with a handgun, outside a restaurant in Ealing last night.

Investigators said today that the three officers attached to the Scotland Yard firearms unit discharged a series of shots. A loaded gun was found next to the body of the suspect.

The shooting is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Witnesses described hearing at least three shots but investigators said it was unclear if the suspect had fired his weapon.

The 52-year-old man was killed during a covert surveillance operation involving detectives from Operation Trident, which targets gun crime in the black community.

The undercover officers were watching suspects involved in an illegal firearms deal.

Residents in Hanger Green described hearing what sounded like fireworks. Andrew Wood, 46, said: "I went outside the back and it was obviously a shoot-out.

"There was just police all over the place and a naked man lying on the floor. There was an ambulance there and some paramedics came and tried to revive the guy, and that's all they were doing, just pumping his chest." The London air ambulance was also called and paramedics gave the man emergency treatment but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, described hearing three distinct gunshots at about 10.30pm.

He said: "One after the other, they were very loud and I could hear lots of shouting. I couldn't see where it was coming from but at the front of my flat I saw armed police standing guard."

Paula Rabic, 60, said: "I thought I heard fireworks outside my kitchen window. I looked up and saw a man shooting. He must have been a police officer.

"Someone turned a strong light on me. I was terrified because I didn't know it was the police."

Another resident in the flats above the parade of shops said the area where the shooting took place had become a no-go zone.

Kai Jones, a 22-year-old legal clerk, said: "The car park and garages is not somewhere where you go at night."

Scotland Yard said the man died in an "intelligence-led"; operation by Operation Trident, supported by firearms officers. He is believed to be known to police and was recently the subject of an attempted gangland shooting when he was found by police wearing body armour.

Last night's shooting took place behind a parade of shops on Hanger Green just south of the A40 at Park Royal. Forensic science officers this morning erected a large tent at the back of Paolo's Italian restaurant.

Restaurant owner Stefano Oddi said he had 10 to 15 customers at the time of the shooting who all gave statements to police. He said: "The first thing I saw was dozens of police running past the front of the restaurant."

The man who died has not been named. No arrests were made.

Armed police were called to 2,171 reports of firearms in London last year and mounted 799 "pre-planned" operations. Shots were fired three times when a suspected armed robber was shot dead.