Andre Jan Aylward

Andre Aylward was shot in his car.

He had been driving his black 5-series BMW, which had blacked out windows, along Valleyfield Road at about 2.10am on 12 May 2001 when six shots were fired from a handgun at his car. After the shooting, he lost control of his car and crashed into some parked cars and a garden.

He had been hit twice in the head and neck and was taken to King's College Hospital where he died around 4am.

A few minutes before the shooting a grey 7 series BMW car was seen alongside his and the police said that they were seeking to identify it. It was thought that the car had just previously been at a nearby BP petrol station at the top of Knights Hill, where it had bought some petrol.

It was thought that the attack might have been a case of road rage or mistaken identity.

He lived nearby in Streatham and was thought to have driven home from a friend’s house where he had been, along Crown Lane and Streatham Common North to the junction with Leigham Court Road and then along Valleyfield Road.

The police said that they found nothing in his background to suggest that he had been involved in any criminal activity. They said that they thought that the reason for his murder was based on the events shortly before the shooting rather than any long running events or targetted gangland activity as it would not have been readily predictable that he would have been driving in that area at that time.

He was a pet shop manager at Oliver’s Pet Supplies in Streatham Vale, and a car enthusiast. His BMW car had tinted windows, a lowered suspension and a loud car stereo.