Drive-By Shooting Outside North London Church
Michelle Sadio, 44, was fatally shot near the River of Life Pentecostal church in Willesden, north London, on 14 December 2024. The incident occurred during a wake attended by approximately 100 mourners, including children as young as five, gathered to remember 80-year-old Dianne Boatong.
At around 9pm, while guests were standing on the pavement, a black Kia vehicle pulled up and fired multiple shots into the crowd. Michelle Sadio, a legal administrator and mother of two, was killed at the scene. Two other individuals were injured: Kenneth Amoah, a Transport for London contractor, was shot in the back and left paralysed below the waist, and Kadeem Francis, who is self-employed, sustained a gunshot wound to the foot.
Details of the Incident and Investigation
The intended target of the shooting was reportedly a rapper known as Trapstar Toxic, whose real name is Adetokunbo Ajibola. Four men—Perry Allen-Thomas, Amir Salem, Shaquille Sutherland, and Tahjin Sommersall—were charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the attack. Sommersall also faced an additional charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. All four defendants denied the charges.
During the attack, at least four shots were fired from the Kia, though it remains unclear who specifically discharged the weapon. Prosecutors alleged that Allen-Thomas and Sutherland orchestrated the shooting but were not physically present when it occurred. Salem was accused of assisting in disposing of the vehicle and acting as a communication link between the car’s occupants and Allen-Thomas and Sutherland on the night of the shooting.
The prosecution stated that Sommersall was inside the Kia along with two other individuals, Ibrah Sayed and Hassan Mohammed, both of whom reportedly fled the country and whose current locations are unknown to law enforcement.
Trial Outcome and Sentencing
On Tuesday, following a trial at the Old Bailey, Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem were found guilty of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Shaquille Sutherland, a rapper known as Lil Shak, and Tahjin Sommersall were acquitted of all charges.
The vehicle used in the shooting had been stolen and was operating with false number plates. After the attack, Salem supplied petrol which was used to set the car on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence.
The firearm involved had been used in two previous shootings in the months prior and was described as a "gang gun." In one earlier incident, an occupant of a car fired 11 rounds outside a pizzeria, injuring one person in the ankle. There was no indication that the defendants in this case were involved in that earlier shooting.
Defendants’ Statements and Court Proceedings
During the trial, Sommersall denied being in the Kia at the time of the shooting, stating he was on a council estate in Wembley. The other defendants also denied involvement or knowledge of the incident.
"All four denied all of the charges."
Mrs Justice McGowan remanded Allen-Thomas and Salem into custody, with sentencing scheduled for a later date.
