A student from NewVic has died after he was shot in the head last night.

The 18-year-old victim, who has been named locally as David aka ‘Dutch’, was gunned down at St Ann’s in Barking at 7.09pm last night.

Local officers, firearms officers and the London Ambulance Service rushed to the scene, and the teenager was taken to an east London hospital.

David, who studied at the college in Plaistow, was pronounced dead at 10.25pm.

His next of kin have been informed and there will be a post-mortem examination in due course.

A murder investigation has been launched and a 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the killing.

Roman Awawdah, who lives in a St Ann’s flat backing onto the crime scene since 2012, said the death made him re-think living in Barking.

After hearing what he thought was fireworks while having a smoke in his back garden, Roman went into the courtyard where David was shot when he heard sirens to find more than 10 armed police.

“There were a lot of people outside and a black kid on the floor with a bicycle next to him,” the 36-year-old said. “There was a paramedic pumping his chest, armed police around and others arriving.”

Ola Mumuni, a 38-year-old who lives in the same building, said he was concerned about security on the estate and the lack of CCTV in the courtyard and was shaken by the violence on his doorstep.

“I’ve lived in Barking and Dagenham for 15 years,” he said. “You hear about these things happening but it’s never happened this close to me – it’s sad.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact detectives on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.