Police release CCTV images of man wanted for 2008 fatal shooting in Ilford

Suspect one - have you seen this man?

Syed Mehdi, 23, of Ilford, was shot outside the Blue Ice Bar in Cranbrook Road, Ilford, on Saturday 1 March 2008.

A £20,000 reward is on offer for information which leads to the prosecution of a suspect.

Police want to speak to three potential witness who were captured on film and have also issued a video of the suspect (see link in top right of story).

The footage shows the suspect walking close to the bar shortly before the shooting.

Witness one

He stopped three men as they walked along Cranbrook Road, close to Ilford train station, approximately 150 yards from the Blue Ice Bar.

He spoke to them - possibly to ask for directions - before walking back towards the bar.

The suspect is then seen on the footage putting his hood up near a cashpoint.

DC Jon Williams, investigating officer from Trident said: “It has been more than four years since Mr Mehdi was gunned down in the street and we hope the passage of time may prompt people to now come forward.

Witness two

“We would like to speak in confidence to anyone with information - no matter how small they may think it is - and we are keen to trace the potential witnesses.

“We would like to reassure these men that they’re not in trouble - we would just like to speak to you to see if you have any information that might be useful to us.”

Officers were called at 23.35hrs on Saturday 1 March 2008 to reports of shots fired outside the bar.

Two men were taken by the ambulance service to the Royal London Hospital suffering gunshot wounds.

Syed Mehdi suffered wounds to the front of his body. His condition deteriorated and he died at 12.45am on March 5.

A second man, aged 37, received wounds to the back of his body and was treated and discharged.

It is believed the suspect - described as a black male aged between 17 and 25, wearing a grey hooded top, black jeans, black shoes with white laces and carrying a bag across his chest - approached the victims on foot before firing shots from a handgun. He ran off towards Ilford High Street.

The area was busy and residents would have seen and heard activity.

Anyone with information is asked to please call the Trident incident room on 020 8733 4704 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.