Five individuals, including a 16‑year‑old boy, have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Hackney last summer.
The Charges
Sebastian Baah Achemfour, 19, is charged with murder and possession of a firearm. Omar Mohammed, 22, faces three counts: murder, possession of a firearm, and perverting the course of justice. Kalel Chen‑Miller, 23, and Darian Thompson‑Cox, 28, are each charged with perverting the course of justice. The 16‑year‑old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, is also charged with perverting the course of justice.
The Victim and the Incident
Erdal Ozmen, 45, was killed on Dynevor Road in the early hours of Tuesday, August 5, 2025. Police were called at around 12.20 am following reports of gunshots. Officers found Mr Ozmen with gunshot injuries and, despite the efforts of emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Liza Dodds, a 58‑year‑old youth worker who lives opposite Dynevor Road, said her husband woke her to the sound of gunshots. “We both got up and had a look. A police officer was doing CPR where the person fell. It seemed like they were going forever,” she said. Other residents reported hearing multiple gunshots, some mistaking them for fireworks, followed by shouting, screaming, and sirens.
Mr Ozmen’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers. He was a father‑of‑one and described by his family as “deeply loved”. He was also a member of the Kurdish community.
Background and Potential Motive
Court records show Erdal Ozmen was a senior member of the “Hackney Bombers” organised crime group, which has been locked in a long‑standing conflict with rivals known as the “Tottenham Turks” or “Tottenham Boys”. Aged 25, he was jailed for 15 years for attempted murder, along with convictions for blackmail, possession of a firearm, wounding with intent, and arson. The judge at the time described the offence as “gang warfare on the streets of London.” The Hackney Bombers specialised in extorting Kurdish and Turkish businesses; Ozmen was said to have “ruthlessly” exploited his “own countrymen”. He was sentenced alongside Abdullah Baybasin, the founder of the gang.
There are fears Ozmen’s killing may have been a revenge attack linked to the ongoing feud. The violence between the two groups has a history of bloodshed. In May 2024, a nine‑year‑old girl was shot in the head by a gunman on a motorbike outside the Evin restaurant, about half a mile from where Ozmen was killed. That attack is believed to have been targeting members of the Hackney Bombers. Six weeks later, Izzet Eren, a senior member of the Tottenham Turks, was shot and killed in Chișinău, Moldova, in what is believed to be a tit‑for‑tat attack. Detectives are investigating whether Ozmen’s shooting was retaliation for Eren’s killing. A law enforcement source suggested the shootings are part of the same gang war, though the Metropolitan Police stated at the time that the motive “remains unclear.”
A business managed by Ozmen on Dynevor Road – described as a coffee shop or Kurdish social club – was forced to close by police following the shooting. A closure order was placed on the premises to “prevent nuisance or disorder from continuing” amid fears of gang links.
The Accused in Detail
All five were arrested on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in connection with the murder and were charged the following day, Thursday, July 2. They were due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on July 2.
Sebastian Baah Achemfour, 19, faces the most serious charges: murder and possession of a firearm. Omar Mohammed, 22, is charged with murder, possession of a firearm, and perverting the course of justice – the additional charge indicating an alleged attempt to interfere with the investigation. Kalel Chen‑Miller, 23, and Darian Thompson‑Cox, 28, are both charged with perverting the course of justice. The 16‑year‑old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also charged with perverting the course of justice.
The Metropolitan Police continue to investigate the circumstances of Mr Ozmen’s death. In a separate but linked context, Beytullah Gunduz was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder on June 5, 2026, for orchestrating a shooting outside a restaurant in Dalston in June 2025 – an attack linked to a dispute involving rival north London organised crime groups that left a victim with life‑changing injuries.
