A Dagenham man has been convicted of murdering a "gentle giant" who was shot dead on his doorstep in a case of mistaken identity.
Chad Gordon, 27, who had autism, was shot in the head when he opened his front door in cul-de-sac Wiltshire Gardens in Haringey just before 8.30pm on May 18 last year.
Police believe his killers had intended to attack someone living next door in a revenge attack for a murder days earlier.
The shooting was witnessed by Chad's aunt, who was walking home with her six-year-old child.
When she shouted out, the gunman pointed the firearm at her and told her to “shut the f**k up”.
Cameron Robinson, 20, of Rainham Road South and Mason Sani-Semedo, 19, from Tottenham, were today (Tuesday, May 25) both convicted of murder and possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, following a trial at the Old Bailey.
Three other men were acquitted of murder.
Chad’s mother, Ann Marie Wilson, said: “At 8:25pm I received the worst phone call that any parent dreads, to say that something beyond my imagination has happened to my child.
"He had been shot. I prayed to the almighty God for him to be ok but my prayer was not to be answered.
"At 9:20pm the earth shattering phone call came, a conversation with my little sister I will never forget, 'I’m so sorry sis, but he didn’t make it'.
“The numbness spread all over me. My world shattered, my heart broke into tiny pieces and cannot be mended.
“Chad was my world, my everything, but most of all my first born and he was no more.
"Our lives have been ruined. He will not be around to enjoy and participate in the merriment, jovial and frivolity of these occasions, all his birthdays and family celebrations.
"The chance to see Chad having a family of his own and a promising future has been taken away from us.
“The night he answered the door has put our family into disarray and has torn our worlds apart. The family home where Chad grew up has been left behind because of the painful memory of this death, which a year on is still difficult to return to.
“You will never know how difficult it is to just get through a day much less the rest of our lives without him, without hearing his laughter, without seeing his smile, without hearing his voice and feeling his big strong cuddles.”
Sani-Semedo and Robinson had spent the day together in north London, arriving at Mr Gordon’s address with their faces obscured by helmets on a stolen moped.
After the attack they fled on the moped and made their way to Lee Valley marshes, where they threw their helmets into the water and set fire to the moped to destroy any forensic evidence.
Although police and paramedics arrived soon after the shooting, Mr Gordon could not be saved and was pronounced dead at 9.07pm.
Chad’s father, Narson Gordon, said: “Anyone who knew or met Chad would instantly recognise ‘a gentle giant’ with humility to match. The hurt and anguish caused by his evil murder is immeasurable.
“The void left is deeply felt by his aunts, sisters, nephews, nieces, cousins and especially by his 95-year-old grandmother who is still inconsolable.
“It is heart wrenchingly sad that Chad was not allowed to flourish and live beyond the age of 27. I wish this for no parent.”
Police established there had been ongoing tensions between two groups in the area in the days before Chad’s murder.
The motive for the shooting was a revenge attack for the murder of Jamal Ebrahim in Tottenham on May 13 last year.
A male, suspected to be the intended target for the shooting, lived next door to Chad.
Susan Krikler, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “This was a pre-planned execution of a man on his doorstep, but in a tragic error these killers went to the wrong house and murdered the wrong person.
“Chad Gordon was an innocent victim who had simply made the mistake of opening his front door. Mr Gordon was never involved in any criminality and was described as a gentle giant by those who knew him.
“The prosecution case included CCTV footage, witness testimony and phone evidence. These killers have shown no remorse during these proceedings and the murder weapon has never been found.
“Gun violence has devastated a family and stolen yet another life in the capital," Ms Krikler said.
"Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Chad Gordon at this time.”
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