'He Was Loved by Everyone Because He Had a Pure Heart'
Family pay tribute to Fulham murder victim Salim Coulter, 24
The family of Salim Coulter, who was gunned down on Monday 5 December in Fulham's Walham Grove have paid him a loveing tribute.
Slaim, a 24 year-old trainee gas engineer, lived with his mother in White City.
In a statement, his fanily said: " We are shocked by what’s happened and still trying to understand and make sense as to why he was taken from us.
" Salim was a good boy, aspiring to be an engineer, which was something he was passionate about, so he could take of his beloved mother.
" He touched so many people’s lives and was loved by everyone because he had a pure heart, he was kind and gentle to everyone he met. He was devout to his faith and a good example to his peers."
Salim Coulter
Salim had been out on Monday 5 December with one of his friends. They stopped for something to eat at Jerky Chicken restaurant parking the car they were driving - a silver and black Renault Captur - in Walham Grove, near to the junction with North End Road.
After the two friends left the restaurant at around 9.30pm they returned to the car, as Salim was getting into the front passenger seat he was shot once. Detectives believe that the lone gunman had been lying in wait.
After shooting Salim he made off on foot away from North End Road towards the Harwood Arms pub near the junction with Walham Grove and Farm Lane, SW6.
When police and ambulance services were called to the scene they found Salim sat in the front sea of the car with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jerkys near the junction with North End Road. Picture: Google Street View
Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, said,"As Salim was getting back into the passenger seat of the car he was shot once, fatally wounding him. The person responsible had most likely been lying in wait for him to leave the restaurant.
"North End Road and Walham Grove would have been busy at that time of night. Did you see someone hanging around the area from about 20.30 that night, or running away from about 9.30pm? We know that he ran off along Walham Grove towards the Harwood Arms. Did you see where he went after this?
"Please think back to Monday night, and if you were out and saw something or heard something, no matter how minor you think it might be, then please get in touch with us. Your information could be a really important piece of our jigsaw.
"Also, I am directly appealing to any cyclists or drivers who were in Walham Grove or North End Road from 8.30pm who may have captured images on their own cameras. This material could have captured something that may prove significant, so please get in touch with us and share your footage.
"At this stage in our investigation we are keeping an open mind regarding motive and will be trying to establish the victim's precise movements in the day running up to his murder."
He added: "This is a low crime area. Salim's murder has shocked the local community. There is a strong neighbourly spirit in the area and I would encourage the very vigilant local community to contact police with anything that they saw during and after the attack."
Chelsea and Fulham MP Greg Hands joined the police in calling for witnesses to the shooting to come forward. He said: "I urge anyone who can provide information on this crime – whether a local resident or a car driver, a pedestrian or a shopkeeper – to contact the Met."
Councillor Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council, said: "Most of the residents I’ve spoken to are in shock that such a murder should have happened on this quiet residential street. I am very sorry for the victim’s family.
"I want to reassure residents that in our first two years in office, the council’s Labour administration has spent millions putting the largest ever number of council-funded police on the borough’s streets in history and we have increased the borough’s CCTV coverage. Our residents’ safety and well-being is our highest priority."
Hammersmith and Fulham Police have said reassurance patrols are out in the area to address any local concerns.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8785 8099, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
December 6, 2016