By Jacob Phillips

Copyright standard

A man has died in a “deeply distressing” double shooting in a busy Hackney park, Scotland Yard has said.

Police responded to reports of a shooting in Clissold Park in Stoke Newington shortly after 7pm on Wednesday.

A man in his 40s was treated by paramedics for gunshot wounds, but he was later pronounced dead in hospital.

The Met Police said a woman in her 40s was also shot and was treated by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and the London Air Ambulance.

She remains in hospital and police are waiting for an update on her condition.

The shooting is understood to have been witnessed by people in Clissold Park at the time.

The Met Police believe that the man and woman involved knew each other and the shooting is being treated as an isolated incident.

A firearm, believed to have been involved in the shooting, was safely recovered by officers at the scene.

Police enquiries are ongoing to identify the next of kin of the man who died.

A Facebook user, who is believed to live in the area and says she witnessed the shooting, said: “She did get hit and then he put the gun to his head and shot himself.”

He is then believed to have gone to the River & Green supermarket to the west of the park before collapsing out.

Officers in around a dozen police vehicles were joined by paramedics who are understood to have attempted to resuscitate the person at the scene before they were taken by ambulance to hospital.

The store, as well as the nearby Dalton Melts food truck, is closed has been cordoned off by officers.

A woman, who chose to remain anonymous, told The Standard the park area is “generally quite safe”.

A local said: “I came here to check what was happening. So many sirens. I can’t believe someone has been shot.”

Another commented: “I live on Green Lanes opposite overlooking the park. Saw medics trying to resuscitate someone near the entrance where Fink’s is.”

Detective Superintendent Oliver Richter, who is responsible for policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: “We understand this is a deeply distressing incident for those involved, the witnesses in the park and the community in the surrounding area.

“We are in the early stages of the investigation, but we believe the man and woman are known to one another and at this time, we are treating it as an isolated incident and there is no wider risk to the public.

“Officers are working at pace to establish the full circumstances of the incident and will continue to support those who are affected.

“A crime scene remains in place for investigation with an increased police presence.”