A gunman who shot a 16 year-old boy in the head after the youngster’s group retaliated to his accidentally shooting a youth worker in the knee has been locked-up for minimum of seven-and-a-half years.
Louis Vicente, 23 (pictured) of Acton Street, Holborn began rowing at 9.30pm on January 18 with a group of youths in Queens Crescent, Kentish Town after they left a community centre.
The 27 year-old youth worker intervened and was shot in the knee by Vicente, who walked to his car while continuing to hurl abuse at the group.
One of the youths hurled an object at the vehicle’s roof as the defendant fled and he retaliated with a second shot, which struck the teenager in the head.
Both victims were rushed to the Royal Free Hospital, treated for their wounds and discharged with 24 hours.
The Blackfriars Crown Court jury cleared Vicente of shooting the youth worker, but convicted him of inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on the teenager and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Vicente’s car was found abandoned in nearby Marsden Street with documentation identifying him inside.
On January 28 Operation Trident officers – who investigate black-on-black crime in the capital - arrested Vicente.
Detective Inspector Michael Millar from Trident said: “Vicente was walking the streets of London in possession of a loaded firearm.
“In firing this weapon indiscriminately into a crowded street he showed a total disregard for the safety of those around him, and in the process wounded a completely innocent bystander who was lucky to escape with relatively minor injuries.
“I hope this conviction sends a clear message to those members of the community who believe it is acceptable to carry and use firearms that their behaviour will not be tolerated.
“Today’s sentence should reassure the communities of London of our ability to bring those involved in gun crime before the courts, and so encourage more people to report violent crime impacting on their neighbourhoods.”
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