A criminal involved in a shooting incident that resulted in a young girl sustaining a gunshot wound to her brain has been found guilty of planning a murder. Beytullah Gunduz, aged 39, was convicted of conspiring to kill Onur Guzel, aged 38, who was fatally shot outside his family eatery in Dalston, east London, last June.
Guzel was targeted during a violent feud between the Hackney Bombers and the Tottenham Turks, which has led to numerous fatal shootings over the past 16 years. Gunduz had previously been acquitted of orchestrating the murder of former Tottenham Turks leader Zafer Eren, aged 34, who was gunned down outside his residence in north London in 2013.
After a trial at the Old Bailey, Gunduz was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder following a jury’s deliberation of 16 hours and 40 minutes. Guzel recounted that he was conversing with his wife on the phone during a break from work when he heard a loud noise around 10pm, prompting him to discover he had been shot.
Emergency assistance was provided by bystanders and police officers before Guzel was rushed to the Royal London Hospital for medical treatment. The sentencing is scheduled for next month, with the judge speculating about a potential retaliatory motive for the shooting, possibly linked to a previous attack that injured a nine-year-old girl.
The series of violent events involved various shootings, including one where the wrong target was hit due to mistaken identity. Guzel informed the court about previous instances where his family had been threatened for money by a criminal organization. Despite his criminal history, Gunduz denied any involvement in the plot to harm Guzel or any related shootings.
The court proceedings shed light on the complex web of gang-related violence and extortion that has plagued the area for years, with individuals caught in the crossfire of rival factions seeking power and control through intimidation and violence.