A senior gang leader has been shot dead in a targeted attack which used a flower bouquet to conceal a handgun, prompting an urgent review of airport security procedures. The killing took place in a crowded departure lounge at London Gatwick Airport, raising serious questions about how weapons can evade detection.
Metropolitan Police confirmed that the victim, a 34-year-old man believed to be a high-ranking figure in an organised crime network, was approached by an unidentified assailant who presented a bouquet of flowers before firing three shots at close range. The suspect then discarded the weapon and fled through a fire exit. He remains at large.
Police sources indicate that the handgun had been dismantled and hidden inside the bouquet’s floral foam, allowing it to pass through X-ray security scanners. The attack appears to have been meticulously planned, with the assailant navigating the terminal’s layout and exploiting a blind spot in CCTV coverage near the departure gates.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of airport security protocols, particularly the screening of items not typically associated with firearms. A Home Office spokesperson stated that the Department for Transport has launched an urgent investigation into the security breach, with interim measures expected to include random hand searches of large bouquets and other bulky items.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the attack as a “brazen and calculated act of violence” and promised a full review of security at major transport hubs. She also confirmed that counter-terrorism police are assisting the investigation, though early assessments suggest the killing is linked to an internal gang dispute rather than extremist ideology.
Aviation security experts have expressed concern that the method used could be replicated at other airports. Professor Lucy Brennan, a security studies fellow at King’s College London, said: “This is a wake-up call. The assumption has always been that large, innocuous items like flowers are not a threat. That assumption now needs to be re-examined.”
The attack has also reignited debate about the effectiveness of the UK’s airport security model, which relies heavily on X-ray technology and behavioural detection. Critics argue that more emphasis should be placed on random physical searches and intelligence-led profiling.
The victim’s identity has not been officially released, but sources confirm he was under active surveillance by the National Crime Agency for drug trafficking and money laundering. His killing is believed to be the result of a power struggle within a London-based organised crime group.
Gatwick Airport has resumed normal operations, though police presence remains heightened. A cordon remains in place around the departure lounge where the shooting occurred. The investigation continues.
