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Bouncer shot dead with Columbine-style weapon
Justin Davenport4 Oct 2007
A doorman was shot dead outside a Clapham bar with a sub-machine-gun not seen in London before.
Kolawole Babadiya, 28, a university student, was hit by a single bullet as he stood near the SW8 bar.
Police now believe Mr Babadiya's killer used a KG-9 type "assault pistol", one of the most popular criminal guns in the United States. A version of the KG-9 was used in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and it is associated with "street fights" and drive-by shootings.
Seventeen rounds were fired during the incident in Wandsworth Road in July. A gang is believed to have opened fire on members of a rival group on the other side of the road, hitting two men, neither of whom are believed to have been the intended targets. Mr Babadiya was killed and another seriously injured. Ballistic experts have identified the weapon after examining rounds recovered from the scene. The 9mm weapon is easily converted to full automatic fire and is capable of firing 50 rounds in a single burst.
Firearms expert Mike Yardley said: "These are cheap semi-automatic pistols which can be easily converted to fully automatic. In psychological terms they are highly intimidating."
Investigators from Operation Trident-which tackles gun crime in the black community, say the gun has never been used in London before.
Today Mr Babadiya's sister appealed for help to find the killer of her "gentle giant". Jumoke Osho, 26, said: "We still cannot believe what has happened. We urge anyone who knows anything to come forward."
Anyone with information can call 020 8247 4554 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
