Family of Swedish man shot dead in Battersea on Christmas Eve speak out

Swedish national Flamur Beqiri, 36, was with his family and returning home to Battersea when he was gunned down around 9pm on December 24.

In a heartfelt statement released via Scotland Yard, the family thanked everyone who had sent them condolences and described their shock and grief.

"We thank everyone for their kind thoughts and condolences.

"Our family are in a state of shock and are grieving. To have so much sadness at this time of the year is heartbreaking."

They also asked people to respect their privacy going forward.

"We would kindly ask that you respect our privacy and let us grieve in peace."

No arrests have been made so far.

Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson said Mr Beqiri may have been "involved in some criminality in Sweden" but his "wife and very young child, bore witness to this horrific attack and are coming to terms with having their world turned upside down".

Mr Beqiri was shot multiple times by a lone gunman, who fled on foot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said Mr Beqiri, a Swedish national of Albanian heritage, had lived in London for four or five years.

DI Stevenson said: "Work is ongoing to determine what the possible motive could be, and while we retain an open mind, we are considering that this is a targeted attack.

"We believe Flamur may possibly have been involved in some criminality in Sweden, and are in liaison with our Swedish counterparts to try to understand what, if any, incidents there may have been that might have led to someone seeking retribution against Flamur in the UK.

"I would reiterate that we are in the very early days, and there is a lot of discussion that I will not comment on. What is most important now is getting justice for Flamur's family.

"Not only would many people have been out going about their business, but I am sure many residents would have been alarmed by the sound of the disturbance and gone to see what had happened."