Key Points
- Three men—Tevin Nzita, Anthony Da Sousa and Christopher Da Sousa—were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, 23 July 2026, to a combined 44 years in prison.
- The attack took place in New Addington, Croydon, on the evening of Wednesday, 21 May 2025, when the victim was ambushed beside his parked car on Walsh Crescent.
- Nzita, 29, was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 25 years; Anthony Da Sousa, 30, received 15 years for wounding with intent; Christopher Da Sousa, 27, was given 4 years for encouraging or assisting the offences.
- Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Trident unit identified the suspected gunman within hours after recovering a mobile phone from the victim’s car that recorded a confrontation with Nzita shortly before the shooting.
- The victim suffered a shotgun wound to the right side of his chest, sustaining broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung, but survived and has since recovered.
- The court heard the attack was a targeted retaliation, with Nzita firing the sawn-off shotgun while Anthony Da Sousa drove the black saloon car and Christopher Da Sousa helped locate the victim and provide directions.
Croydon (South London News) 24 July 2026 – Three men have been jailed for a total of 44 years after carrying out a coordinated firearms attack on a man in New Addington, in south London, in what police described as a targeted revenge shooting.
- Key Points
- Who were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court?
- How did police identify the suspects so quickly?
- What did the prosecution say about the attack?
- What were the injuries sustained by the victim?
- What charges were brought against the three men?
- Background of the development
- Prediction: How could this development affect residents and local communities in Croydon?
As reported by the Metropolitan Police, the victim, a man in his 30s, was standing beside his parked car on Walsh Crescent on the evening of 21 May 2025 when a black saloon car pulled alongside him. One of the passengers got out and fired two shots at close range with a sawn-off, double-barrelled shotgun.
The victim had managed to jump into the driver’s seat of his car moments before the attack. The first shot smashed through the windscreen and narrowly missed him.
The gunman then ran around the victim’s car before firing a second shot through the driver’s side window, striking him in the chest.
Despite suffering serious injuries, including broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung, the victim survived and has since recovered, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Who were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court?
The following men were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, 23 July 2026, following a trial that concluded in early June:
- Tevin Nzita, 29, of Warbank Crescent, Croydon, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment.
- Anthony Da Sousa, 30, of Station Approach, Coulsdon, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
- Christopher Da Sousa, 27, of Mickleham Way, Croydon, was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment.
Following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, all three defendants were convicted on Thursday, 4 June 2026. Tevin Nzita was convicted of attempted murder. Anthony Da Sousa was convicted of wounding with intent. Both were also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. Christopher Da Sousa was convicted of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences.
How did police identify the suspects so quickly?
Officers were called shortly after 19:26hrs on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 following reports that shots had been fired on Walsh Crescent, according to the Metropolitan Police. Armed and local officers quickly secured the scene while detectives launched an investigation, working at pace to identify those responsible.
The victim had already made his way to a nearby hospital before officers arrived. Officers recovered a mobile phone from the victim’s car, which contained footage of the victim and another man confronting Tevin Nzita around ten minutes before the shooting, enabling detectives to identify Nzita as the suspected gunman within hours and quickly establish the shooting was a targeted retaliation.
As reported by detectives from the Met’s Trident unit, the investigation established that Nzita fired the shotgun, Anthony Da Sousa drove the saloon car used in the attack and his brother Christopher Da Sousa played a key role in finding the victim, giving directions and assisting with preparations beforehand. Forensic examinations confirmed the weapon used was a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun fired at close range.
What did the prosecution say about the attack?
The Metropolitan Police stated that the offenders acted together to locate the victim, track his movements and carry out a planned shooting using a sawn-off shotgun capable of killing. The force added that reducing gun crime remains a priority for the Met Police.
What were the injuries sustained by the victim?
The victim received a shotgun wound to the right side of his chest, with pellets and wadding entering his chest through the car window, according to accounts from the investigation. He sustained broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung.
What charges were brought against the three men?
As reported by the Metropolitan Police, Tevin Nzita was convicted of attempted murder, while Anthony Da Sousa was convicted of wounding with intent.
Both were also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. Christopher Da Sousa was convicted of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences.
Background of the development
The 21 May 2025 shooting in New Addington formed part of a broader pattern of gun-related incidents in Croydon that have been investigated by the Metropolitan Police’s Trident unit, which specialises in non-fatal firearm discharges and gang-related violence.
In the months surrounding the attack, police in Croydon dealt with multiple shootings, including a fatal shooting on Imperial Way in June 2025 and other firearms investigations in the borough.
The New Addington incident drew a fast-paced response from detectives, who used digital evidence from the victim’s mobile phone to identify the suspected gunman within hours. This approach reflects a wider policing strategy in London that relies on rapid forensic and digital analysis to link suspects to firearm offences, particularly in cases involving retaliatory violence.
Two men, Anthony Dasousa and Tevin Nzita, were initially charged with attempted murder and possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life in early June 2025, before the case proceeded to trial and resulted in the July 2026 convictions and sentencing of all three defendants.
Explore More Croydon Crime News
Man, 57, Arrested After Woman Dies in Croydon Home (Croydon, 2026)
Croydon Murder: Ghebremedhin Convicted of Killing Osman 2026
Prediction: How could this development affect residents and local communities in Croydon?
The sentencing of three men to a combined 44 years for a daylight shotgun attack in New Addington is likely to have several effects on local audiences, including residents, businesses and community groups in Croydon.
For residents, particularly those in New Addington and surrounding estates, the outcome may reinforce perceptions that serious gun crime is being pursued robustly by police and the courts, potentially increasing confidence in reporting suspicious activity and cooperating with investigations.
The detailed account of how digital evidence from a mobile phone helped identify the gunman within hours may also encourage greater public awareness of the role that personal devices and CCTV can play in solving violent crimes.
For local businesses and community organisations, the high-profile nature of the case and the emphasis on targeted, retaliatory violence may prompt renewed discussions around youth engagement, conflict resolution and support for individuals at risk of involvement in gun-related offending.
The Metropolitan Police’s statement that reducing gun crime remains a priority signals that similar investigations are likely to continue receiving significant resources, which could lead to more arrests and prosecutions in related cases across the borough.
However, the fact that the attack was planned and carried out in a residential street in broad daylight may also heighten short-term anxiety among some residents about personal safety, particularly for those who regularly use cars or spend time outside in the evening.
Local councillors, police and community leaders may face increased pressure to communicate both the risks and the measures being taken to prevent further incidents, including visible patrols, community safety partnerships and interventions aimed at reducing the availability of firearms and ammunition.
