REWARD OFFERED OVER FIVE-YEAR-OLD SHOOTING

Five-year-old Thusha Kamaleswaran was visiting relatives at the shop

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A £50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the shooting a five-year-old girl in south London.

Thusha Kamaleswaran - believed to be the capital's youngest gun crime victim - is still in critical condition after being shot in the chest.

The bullet only narrowly missed Thusha's heart, reports said.

A 35-year-old man who was also shot in the head during the incident at the Stockwell Food & Wine shop in Lambeth on Tuesday also remains in hospital.

Police are hunting for three youths who are believed to have opened fire after chasing two others into the shop at about 9.15pm on Tuesday.

As the pair hid inside, the gunman stopped at the door and opened fire indiscriminately. Police are not sure how many bullets were fired.

The reward was offered as part of a joint initiative between Crimestoppers and the Association of Convenience Stores to show that violence against shopkeepers is unacceptable.

Director of Operations at Crimestoppers Dave Cording said: "This is a heinous crime, for an innocent five-year-old child and shopkeeper to receive such horrific injuries is utterly despicable.

"I hope the offenders will be swiftly brought to justice and would urge anyone with information to contact the charity, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or our online service at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

"No personal details are taken and communication routes are not traced or recorded - no one will know who you are."ky reporter Rhiannon Mills, in Lambeth, said: "Stockwell Road has reopened but there is still a large tent covering the front of the Stockwell Wine & Food store.

"Forensic teams inside are still trying to piece together what happened on Tuesday evening."

Family friend Kirubakaran Nantheesparan told Sky News he saw the child, who is originally from Sri Lanka. "She was flat on the floor," he said.

"I didn't see any blood on her body just a small injury on her chest on the right hand side."

Thusha was visiting relatives who owned the shop when she was caught up in the shooting.

:: Witnesses or anyone with any information are asked to call the Operation Trident incident room on 020 8247 4553 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

SKYNEWS