A London crime case gripped a courtroom this week. Javon Riley, 33, has been jailed for life with a minimum of 34 years after being found guilty of a terrifying gang feud shooting that injured a nine-year-old girl and three men outside a Dalston restaurant.
Javon Riley Jailed for Life Over Shooting of Girl
On 29 May 2024, outside Evin restaurant on Kingsland High Street, Hackney, east London, a gunman on a Ducati motorcycle fired six shots.
The young girl was inside, eating ice cream with her family. She was struck in the head when a bullet passed through a wall or window. Three men sitting outside the restaurant were also hit during the burst of violence.
Riley’s Role
Though not the shooter, Riley was convicted of being deeply involved. He had carried out reconnaissance in the days leading up to the attack, observing traffic flows and ensuring the targets were present.
Riley then drove the shooter away from the scene in a stolen car and later helped dispose of the firearm.
He refused to name who hired him or reveal the identity of the gunman, citing fear for his and his family’s safety.
The young girl has suffered devastating, life-changing injuries: “In a single moment, the future we had imagined for our daughter was torn away. She was once an energetic, adventurous child – everything that celebrated movement, energy, and life.
Now, weakness on her left side means she can only watch from the sidelines, living with a titanium plate in her skull and a bullet still in her brain.
As parents, we are shattered emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially. Each day brings new challenges, from her slower growth on one side to the emotional and mental scars that cannot be seen.”
She spent three months in the hospital, during which doctors were forced to remove portions of her skull to relieve swelling before fitting a titanium plate. A bullet remains lodged in her brain.
Her parents say she now faces a lifetime of physical, cognitive, and emotional struggles.
Broader Context: Gang Feud
The shooting was linked to a long-running rivalry between two Turkish gangs, the Tottenham Turks and the Hackney Turks.
This feud has been marked by a series of tit-for-tat attacks across London, leaving communities fearful and authorities under pressure to curb the violence.
Verdict and Sentencing
On 12 September 2025, the Old Bailey sentenced Riley to life imprisonment with a minimum of 34 years behind bars. He was found guilty of attempted murder of the three men and grievous bodily harm with intent regarding the child.
Where It Stands Now
The actual shooter remains at large. Authorities have issued an appeal for information, offering a reward of up to £15,000 for anyone who can help bring the gunman to justice.
The case has reignited calls for stronger community action and greater interventions to break the cycle of gang violence that continues to claim innocent lives.
Why It Matters
This case isn’t just shocking for its brutality. It is a stark reminder that:
- Innocents can suffer in gang warfare.
- Violent crime is often carefully planned and organised.
- Legal consequences are severe, but they cannot undo the damage caused.
“You have clearly taken part in a shooting which has led to four people being injured, one of them particularly seriously”, Judge Mark Lucraft KC at sentencing.
This verdict brings some measure of justice, but it is far from complete. The shooter is still free, and the scars left behind, both visible and invisible, will last a lifetime.
