A ruthless contract killer who shot an eight-year-old girl on her birthday while disguised as a Deliveroo rider has been sentenced to 38 years in prison.
A Birthday Celebration Turned to Terror
The shocking attack occurred in Ladbroke Grove, west London, on the evening of 24 November 2024. The young girl and her 34-year-old father had just returned home from a trip to a local trampoline park to celebrate her birthday when they were ambushed while sitting in their car.
Assassin Jazz Reid, 33, fired close to a dozen shots at the vehicle. Miraculously, both the girl and her father survived, as did the girl's mother and two-year-old sister who were in the back seats and escaped physical injury.
Life-Altering Injuries and a Family's Trauma
The consequences of the shooting are profound and permanent. The court at the Old Bailey heard that the schoolgirl suffered life-changing injuries. One bullet remains lodged inside her body, and she is now showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, experiencing flashbacks of 'the bad man'.
Her father requires round-the-clock care and may never walk again. In a powerful victim impact statement, the girl's mother described how their lives were shattered.
'I carry huge guilt from not protecting them. Every time I see a Deliveroo bike I shudder,' she said. 'My kids have been robbed of the version of their dad who can run with them... It makes me sick that there is a bullet inside my baby.'
A Calculated Disguise and a Pattern of Violence
The trial revealed that Reid, who performed under the rap name 'Chaos', used an e-bike and a Deliveroo delivery box to blend into the urban landscape and approach his targets unnoticed. Police do not believe he ever worked for the company.
This was not an isolated incident. The court heard Reid carried out two other shootings earlier in 2024, one targeting the same father. He was convicted of attempted murder and three counts of wounding with intent, despite claiming he was in the area as a drug dealer and that the gun was planted.
Detective Inspector Richard Scott, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, stated: 'This was about as bad as it can get without actually being a murder.' He noted the attack took place at 5pm in a residential area, putting countless others at risk from stray bullets.
Police tracked Reid down within 48 hours of the final shooting using CCTV, phone data, and ANPR. Evidence included rap lyrics on his phone which detectives said described the shootings. Reid has previous convictions for drugs and assault, having served a five-year sentence in 2013 for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Sentencing Reid at the Old Bailey, Judge Sarah Whitehouse imposed the lengthy 38-year term. The motive for the attacks remains unknown.
