14 January 2023 , 20:21
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A nurse has recalled the horrific moment a gun was fired while funeral mourners gathered to release doves outside a London church.
Jo Ifghallal was one of the people attending the funeral of mum and daughter Fresia Calderon and Sara Sanchez when the drive-by shooting happened on Saturday afternoon.
She had been attending the ceremony as Sara, 20, who died of leukaemia, was her son's girlfriend.
Jo said the gun was fired from a black car passing St Aloysius Church as the congregation stood outside.
"We were all coming out of the church, dressed in white, about to release some doves," the mum told MyLondon.
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Police at the scene of a suspected drive-by shooting outside a church in Euston, London (PA)"And the shooting happened as we were waiting for that.
"I didn’t see the car coming, but there was a big detonation. I just remember a woman falling on the floor and panic as people came out of the church."
The Met Police confirmed on Saturday evening that six people had been injured in the shooting, including a seven-year-old girl who is in a life-threatening condition.
Four women, aged 21, 48, 54 and 41 were also taken to hospital with the 48-year-old thought to have suffered injuries which are potentially life-changing.
A 12-year-old was also treated for a leg injury and has since been discharged from hospital.
Police at the scene of a shooting outside St Aloysius Church in London (PA)Jo added: "My son saw the car coming through. It was a black car. I didn’t see the car.
"I remember screaming, panicking and rushing inside the church. People just holding children in their arms and trying to escape.
"At first we just heard a boom, we didn’t realise it was shooting. I saw a woman falling on the floor and wanted to go and help because I’m a nurse but son pulled me back.
"It was supposed to be the funeral of two beautiful women, Sara was 20 years old.
"She died of leukaemia and a broken heart after her mum died just a few weeks before. Today was a celebration for them. Just to remember how beautiful and lovely these women were.
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Fresia Calderon and her daughter Sara Sanchez died within a month of each other (Handout/My London)"These people in the car; I don’t know who they were, no clue. It was mayhem.
"There was a lovely police officer who was part of the funeral, she called the ambulance and police straight away. The ambulance came in less than five minutes. I just expected a nice funeral, you never expect this, I'm still in denial. It was already very traumatic how they died and on top of that now there’s this shooting."
Superintendent Ed Wells, from the Met, said: “Any shooting incident is unacceptable, but for multiple people, including two children, to be injured in a shooting in the middle of a Saturday afternoon is shocking.
“Our thoughts are with all the victims, but in particular with the seven-year-old girl who is in a life threatening condition and with her family.
“An investigation into this dreadful attack is already well under way involving local officers and specialist detectives. I can assure the communities of Camden and beyond that we will do everything we possibly can to identify and bring to justice those who were responsible.
“Local residents can expect to see an increased visible police presence in the area through the weekend and into the days ahead as we progress this investigation."