Man found guilty for role in shooting of 9-year-old girl
Javon Riley was found guilty of three counts of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm to the young child.
A man involved in a shooting which left 4 people injured including a 9-year-old girl has been found guilty of attempted murder.
33-year-old Javon Riley from Tottenham played a key role in the shooting in Dalston on the 29th of May 2024, which intended to kill rival gang members.
At around 21:19, a gunman pulled up to a busy Dalston restaurant and shot six times, hitting 4 people including the 9-year-old. One of the bullets became lodged in the child's brain who was at the restaurant with her family.
She, along with the other victims, required life-saving surgery.
Whilst Javon Riley did not fire the shots, police discovered he had scoped the area as part of the planning for the shooting. Evidence showed he sat at a bar opposite to the restaurant drinking a cocktail and studying the flow of traffic.
After the shooting, police say he was instrumental in ensuring the shooter evaded police arrest.
The shooter still has not been arrested.
Police are now offering up to £15,000 for information that leads to the arrest of the gunman.
After the verdict, Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway said “Javon Riley’s actions traumatically altered the trajectory of a little girl’s life. While this outcome serves as a slither of justice, the dangerous individual responsible for pulling the trigger remains on our streets.
“Those who ordered this shooting are a highly sophisticated criminal organisation. We understand that people may be worried about talking to us because of this, but it is imperative we hear from anyone who can assist this investigation.
“Justice must be secured for this little girl and her family.”
The 9-year-old's mother reacted to the verdict, saying "In a single moment, the future we had imagined for our daughter was torn away. She was once an energetic, adventurous child — everything that celebrated movement, energy, and life.
"Now, weakness on her left side means she can only watch from the sidelines, living with a titanium plate in her skull and a bullet still in her brain. As parents, we are shattered — emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially. Each day brings new challenges, from her slower growth on one side to the emotional and mental scars that cannot be seen.
"The world we once believed was safe for our child now feels frightening and uncertain. This was not just an accident — even if our daughter was not the intended target, those responsible were still attempting to take lives, It is brutal and inhumane. We live with this pain every day, knowing nothing will ever be the same for our family."