A 17-year-old girl, who had no connections to criminal activity, was fatally shot with a firearm while socializing with friends on Easter Monday eight years ago, according to court proceedings.
Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was shot from a vehicle on Chalgrove Road in Tottenham, north London, on the evening of April 2, 2018.
Marcus La Croix, 38, is currently on trial at the Old Bailey in London, facing charges of murdering the teenager, which he denies.
During the trial, prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC informed jurors that Tanesha had spent part of the bank holiday with her friends, engaging in activities such as playing a game called „penny up“ against a garden wall, as well as dancing and socializing.
„There was nothing out of the ordinary about this particular evening and none of the group knew of any reason why anyone would wish to harm Tanesha or any of them,“ Ledward stated.
At approximately 9:00 PM BST, as Tanesha and her boyfriend walked along Chalgrove Road, a car approached and stopped just a few feet away from them.
The court heard that one of the car’s windows was lowered, and her partner observed „a hand holding something emerge“ from inside the vehicle.
He then witnessed „three bright sparks“ and described the sound as resembling „pap, pap, pap,“ akin to fireworks.
According to Ledward, the car remained stationary for only a few seconds before driving away.
After the shooting, a friend of Tanesha ran down the road in search of an adult to call the police.
Her boyfriend used Tanesha’s phone to contact both an ambulance and her family, while neighbors and passersby rushed to assist.
When emergency services arrived, Tanesha was reported to be „barely breathing,“ the court was informed.
Medical professionals discovered that she had sustained severe and uncontrollable bleeding from abdominal injuries caused by the bullet.
Ledward indicated to jurors that it became evident Tanesha was „beyond any further help,“ and she was pronounced dead at 10:43 PM.
The prosecutor emphasized that Tanesha „had no involvement in any kind of criminality.“ The firearm used in the incident was identified as a self-loading pistol.
La Croix, who resides in Hackney, faces charges of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, both of which he denies.
The trial is ongoing.
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