Four men are on trial after 36-year-old Michelle Sadio was fatally shot outside the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church in Harlesden, Greater London, in December 2024. Prosecutors allege one defendant was in the car and two other suspects fled the country, while two men are accused of arranging the attack. Authorities say a rapper was the intended target; Sadio, who was attending a wake, was killed and two other men were seriously injured. The Metropolitan Police continue to investigate as the trial proceeds.
Mother of Two Fatally Shot Outside London Church During Wake — Four Men on Trial
Michelle SadioMetropolitan Police
A British mother of two, Michelle Sadio, was fatally shot while standing outside the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church in Harlesden, Greater London, in December 2024. The shooting occurred as Sadio attended a wake for an elderly parishioner, and left her dead at the scene.
Defendants and Charges
Four men — Tahjin Sommersall (19), Perry Allen-Thomas (27), Shaquille Sutherland (26) and Amir Salem (19) — are currently on trial charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. All four have denied the charges, according to court reports.
Allegations and Investigation
Prosecutors allege Sommersall was in the vehicle used in the drive-by shooting alongside two other suspects who later fled the country and remain at large. Allen-Thomas and Sutherland are accused of orchestrating the attack from offsite — a claim the prosecution summed up as having ‘‘got the three younger men to do their dirty work for them.’’
Authorities further allege that Salem purchased petrol later used to set the car on fire in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. Investigators from the Metropolitan Police are leading the inquiry and continue to seek the two alleged suspects believed to have left the UK.
Victims and Motive
Officials say a rapper was the intended target of the attack, but Sadio — a legal administrator and mother of two — was struck and killed while attending the wake. She suffered gunshot wounds to the back, lung and shoulder and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two other men were seriously injured: one was shot in the back and left paralyzed from the waist down, and another sustained a gunshot wound to the foot.
Ongoing Proceedings
The trial is ongoing as the Metropolitan Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and pursue leads on the suspects believed to have fled abroad. The case has prompted local concern about gun violence and the safety of community gatherings.
Note: All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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