The 20-year-old gunned down in Croydon last night is believed to be the victim of a drive-by shooting.

Officers were called to Mitcham Road at 9.22pm and found a 20-year-old black man with serious injuries.

He had been shot and was treated at the scene, near the junction of Derby Road, but he could not be saved.

He was pronounced dead in hospital and a post mortem examination will be carried out. Police are treating the incident as murder and have cordoned off the scene.

One witness told the Croydon Guardian the man had been gunned down as a car passed him.

The 23-year-old, who did not want to be named said: “I was pulling onto Pittlake Road around 9.30pm.

“I came onto the road and saw a car parked in the middle of the road.

“It was a black Honda Accord V-reg.

“The car was parked by a man an it looked like they were talking.

“All of a sudden the car sped off towards Mitcham Road, turned around and was going down the wrong way in the road.

“I thought the car was doing something a bit crazy so I held off a bit.

“He came up again and turned back around. I saw a flash of light in my rearview mirror but did not think anything of it.”

“I thought it was his headlights. The car then screeched and sped away towards Croydon.”

A spokesman from the Met Police said they were investigating any leads, including the possibility of a drive-by shooting, and urged any witnesses with information to come forward.

“At this early stage it is believed the victim was walking along Mitcham Road with his brother, near to its junction with Derby Road,” the Met said in a statement released this afternoon.

“A dark-coloured car pulled up alongside them and a number of shots were fired.

“The car, which had a number of occupants, then drove off along Mitcham Road.

“It is possible it was travelling in tandem with another car. The second car is described as light coloured, possibly silver.”

The dead man’s next of kin have been informed, but police await formal identification.

An incident room has been opened at Lewisham Police Station, led by Detective Chief Inspector Damian Allain from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

DCI Allain, said: “At this early stage of the investigation all the relevant CCTV is being gathered and house-to-house enquiries are being conducted.

“We would also urge anyone with information or who witnessed the murder to contact the incident room or Crimestoppers anonymously.

“All information will be treated sensitively and in confidence.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4805 or Crimestoppers 0800 555111.

There have been no arrests so far.