Pictured: Father, 25, blasted to death with a shotgun in leafy London suburb as police reveal image of car spotted fleeing the scene

• Kyle Kelson gunned down just yards from his doorstep in North Cheam, London
• Armed police attended at 1.12am and found Mr Kelson suffering a gunshot injury 
• Mr Kelson was immediately given first aid but later pronounced dead at scene 

A 25-year-old father who was shot dead in a leafy London suburb has been pictured today.

Kyle Kelson was gunned down just yards from his doorstep in a residential road in North Cheam, south-west London in the early hours of the morning on Friday.

Armed police attended at 1.12am and found Mr Kelson suffering from the gunshot injury and gave him first aid but he was pronounced dead at 1.45am.

Met Police have today released an image of a dark coloured car driving away from the scene and is appealing for further information. 

A post-mortem examination held on 20 June at St Hellier Hospital Mortuary gave cause of death as a shotgun wound to the head. 

Mr Kelson’s mother Angella Kelson said: ‘Kyle was a much loved father, son, brother and friend to so many people. His big beautiful smile brought joy to all of us.’  

Kyle Kelson (pictured) was gunned down just yards from his doorstep in a residential road in North Cheam, south-west London in the early hours of the morning on Friday

A teary friend, who had known the victim for over a decade, said: ‘I passed by earlier and saw one of my friends standing near the cordons with an empty bottle of brandy. I knew something was up, then I found out it was him. I can’t believe it.’  

The 23-year-old added: ‘He has a three year old boy who is now without a father.

‘I’m not saying he was an angel, but he was a genuinely nice bloke. He was happy, bubbly, all the good stuff. No one deserves that.’

The young man said he had last seen his friend about two weeks ago.

He added: ‘We were driving and he pulled up alongside me. We both said ‘hi,’ we were both alright and that was that.

‘Who knows the next time I would hear about him he’d be dead. The police told me he was shot in the head. I just hope it was quick. He lived right there across the road.’ 

Met Police has today released an image of a dark coloured car driving away from the scene and is appealing for further information

The grieving friend, who said he has lived in the area for his whole life, described the neighbourhood as ‘lovely,’ adding: ‘Yes, there are groups of friends. But there are no gangs, no postcode wars. Nothing like that. It’s lovely here.’

His family have been informed but he has not yet been formally identified following the incident, which was London’s 53rd murder of the year so far. 

One woman reported hearing a gunshot at around 1am. 

She said: ‘At about 1am I heard a single bang.

‘I thought, ‘that sounds like a gunshot,’ but thought nothing of it. Then I heard screeching of car tyres. When I heard that I ran to the window. But I couldn’t really make out anything.’

Flowers have been left at the scene where a man was shot in the head and died on Friday

Around 15 minutes later, the woman, who requested not to be named, saw flashing lights as ambulances and police cars arrived at the scene.

She said: ‘There were about seven police cars and seven ambulances all turning up one after the other.

‘The road was covered in police. It is unheard of for the area. You hear of stabbings, but never a shooting.’

She added: ‘I’m shocked. Nothing like this has ever happened around here. It’s a calm, quiet, family neighbourhood.

‘My friends make fun of me for living in a posh area. So that makes it stand out.’

Lines of officers have swept a residential street in North Cheam on Friday for evidence after a father was shot dead

She added: ‘I’m really annoyed. I told the council and the police about the disturbances, but they did nothing about it.

‘My message to them is that they should listen to residents. I had noticed an escalation in the area and I knew it was a matter of time before something happened.’

She said she had noticed ‘drug deals’ happening on the street next to her house for some time.

She added: ‘I often see people pulling up and exchanging things. I’m almost certain it’s drugs.’

Another neighbourhood corroborated reports of large gatherings at the victim’s house, but dismissed reports of problems saying they were just ‘doing what boys do.’

Forensic officers investigate on Friday in North Cheam, South West London, after the shooting

She also confirmed that the man had moved in just a few months before his death, and had been sharing the house with friends.

The 32-year-old, originally from Brixton, south London, added: ‘This is a nice family area, so I can understand why some people are disturbed by music and gatherings.

‘I grew up around Brixton. So, for me personally, it’s just boys having a good time. They were never abusive or rude to me. The victim was someone’s son and boyfriend. He was loved. It’s a sad loss of life.’ 

DCI Leonard said: ‘Our investigation is making progress, but I still need to hear from residents or people who were walking or driving through Brocks Drive in the early hours of Friday morning. Did you see anyone acting suspiciously? No matter how insignificant it may seem, you could have crucial information.

‘I am also releasing an image of a dark coloured car that was seen driving away from the scene; we are not certain about the make and model. I want to hear from anyone who saw this car in the area or has information about it.

‘A man has lost his life in violent circumstances and his family are devastated. They need and deserve answers and the community can help us provide them. If you have information, video or images that could help us, please contact us immediately.’  

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