Two arrested in Daniel Smith murder investigation in London, England

Detectives investigating the murder of Daniel Smith have today, Thursday 2 December, arrested two men on suspicion of murder.

The 23 year old [H] and 48 year old men [I] are currently in custody.

Police were called at approx 00:15hrs on Saturday 22 May to reports of a man shot outside the KFC restaurant in Harrow Road, W9, near the junction with Sutherland Avenue.

Daniel Smith, aged 22, died at the scene.

We believe Daniel, a qualified electrician from Paddington, was entirely innocent and may have been mistaken for someone else.

A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as a gunshot wound.

An incident room has opened under Detective Chief Inspector John Crossley (Trident).

DI Mark Brookes, from the inquiry team, said: "We believe this is likely to be gang-related and was a case of mistaken identity."

On 5 July BBC Crimewatch featured CCTV images of three individuals police are keen to speak with regarding the inquiry.

The first still, taken at 23:57hrs on Friday 21 May, around 15 minutes before Daniel was shot, shows two black men walking on Marylands Road, W9, off the Harrow Road, where police believe the offenders may have made their escape.

The man on the left is a light-skinned black man wearing a t-shirt and his companion appears to be wearing a baseball cap and has facial stubble.

The second still, taken at 00:13hrs on Saturday 22 May, just a minute or so before Daniel was shot, shows a man in Harrow Road, looking in the direction of Daniel’s car, parked on the opposite side to the KFC. This man is wearing a white ‘beany’ hat. He is also wearing a chain with a pendant finishing at the top of the breast bone.

DI Brookes said: "If anyone has information on the men in these images, we urge them to come forward.

"We are also still looking for two other individuals, seen in the KFC at and around the same time as the incident.

"There was a woman aged around early 20s, black, wearing a distinctive black baseball cap with a letter P on the front, and also a white man with brown hair and glasses carrying a briefcase. We really do need them to come forward. Their information could be vital. If they are frightened we can offer witness protection, which our team are very experienced in."

On 24 May two men [A/B – both 21 ys] were arrested on suspicion of murder and later bailed to return to a central London police station pending further inquiries (next due in December)

On 21 July a man [C – 22 ys] was arrested on suspicion of murder and later bailed to return – subsequently no further action.

On 29 July a man [D – 23 ys] was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into custody. He was later bailed to return in December pending further inquiries.

On 2 August a man [E – 30 ys] was arrested on suspicion of murder and later bailed to return to a north London police station in December pending further inquiries.

On 13 August a man [F – 26 ys] was arrested at an address in South Kilburn NW6 on suspicion of murder and later bailed to return to a north London police station in December pending further inquiries.

Later on 13 August a man [G – 28 ys] was arrested on suspicion of murder and later bailed to return to a north London police station in December pending further inquiries.