A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the attempted murder of a teenager during a motorcycle gathering in west London.
The convict, Emad Al-Haj Shareef, was sentenced on Monday at Kingston Crown Court after he was found guilty of attempting to kill a 19-year-old man during a shooting incident in Hayes.
The attack occurred on the night of August 23, 2025, during a large motorcycle gathering attended by hundreds of people.
According to investigators, the victim, who belonged to the same motorcycle group as Shareef but was not personally known to him, approached him during the event before an altercation broke out.
Police said tensions escalated after Shareef allegedly threatened the teenager, causing the victim to flee the scene. Shareef was said to have chased him on a motorcycle before opening fire at close range.
The victim was struck in the neck and left in critical condition.
Emergency responders were alerted after the injured teenager was taken to Hillingdon Hospital shortly after midnight.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police launched an extensive investigation using CCTV footage, witness accounts and forensic evidence.
Investigators later obtained surveillance footage allegedly showing Shareef carrying out the shooting while riding a motorcycle. Additional footage reportedly captured his movements as he fled toward his residence in Hounslow.
Police arrested him two days later at his home on Norman Crescent before charging him with attempted murder.
Authorities also recovered the firearm believed to have been used in the attack, along with a magazine hidden inside a stolen vehicle.
A jacket allegedly worn by Shareef during the shooting was recovered from the same vehicle and later tested positive for gunshot residue, investigators said.
Further digital analysis involving mobile phone records and social media activity also linked him to the crime scene.
Detectives additionally obtained a Snapchat video reportedly uploaded by Shareef earlier that day, showing him attending the motorcycle gathering near Piccadilly Circus.
Lead investigator, Detective Constable Paulina Rosol, said the case highlighted the dangers associated with gun violence on London streets.
“Shareef went as far as to hide the weapon he used in a stolen vehicle,” Rosol said.
“This jacket was later found to have gunshot residue on it, directly implicating Shareef and shattering his facade of innocence.”
She added that the Metropolitan Police remained committed to tackling violent crime and removing illegal firearms from circulation.
Police statistics released alongside the case showed that fatal gunshot incidents in London had dropped by 27 per cent over the past year, while firearm seizures by officers increased by 75 per cent.
Authorities said the sentencing sends a strong warning to individuals involved in gun violence and organised street crime that law enforcement agencies will continue to pursue and prosecute offenders.
