Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder over London church drive-by shooting

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a drive-by shooting at a church left a seven-year-old girl in a life-threatening condition.

Officers were called to St Aloysius church on Phoenix Road in Euston, central London, on Saturday where a memorial service was taking place for a young woman and her mother.

Police said shotgun pellets were fired from a black Toyota C-HR at around 1.30pm before it was driven off.

Four women and two children were injured in the attack, with the youngest in a life-threatening condition.

Police said a 22-year-old man was arrested after a car was stopped in Cricklewood Lane, Barnet, shortly before 4pm on Sunday.

He has been taken into custody.

After Saturday’s shooting, three women – aged 48, 54 and 41 – were taken to a central London hospital where their injuries were assessed as non-life threatening. Police said the 48-year-old has potentially life-changing injuries.

A 21-year-old woman was also taken to a central London hospital and her condition has been assessed as non life-threatening.

The seven-year-old girl remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

A 12-year-old girl who sustained a leg injury is expected to make a full recovery.

The shots sent mourners running and screaming, with many of them sheltering inside the church, witnesses said.

Father Jeremy Trood was conducting a joint service celebrating the lives of mother and daughter, Fresia Calderon, 50, and Sara Sanchez, 20, at the time of the shooting.

They died within 25 days of each other late last year – Calderon from a blood clot after flying back to London from Colombia, and Sanchez, who was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in May 2020, died shortly afterwards, according to MyLondon who interviewed Sanchez in April 2022.