A fatal shooting at a family wake in west London has left a community reeling, with one man sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the tragedy. Jahmel Joseph, 29, from Ealing, was given a minimum term of 39 years by Judge Nigel Lickley at the Old Bailey following his conviction for murder, attempted murder, and several other serious charges.
The court heard that on June 11th, 2025, Joseph shot his cousin Jordan Rodney, 30, at close range with a shotgun during an incident in Hammersmith. His brother Omar was also left with serious head and hand injuries. In sentencing, Judge Lickley described the offences as "crimes of utmost brutality," highlighting that Rodney had previously shown kindness to his attacker.
The events unfolded after an argument between Joseph and Rodney at the wake, which had been attended by family members from across London. Relatives intervened to calm the situation, instructing Joseph to leave. However, he returned shortly before midnight on a Yamaha motorcycle, armed with a shotgun, intent on carrying out the attack.
Joseph claimed he believed Rodney intended to kill him, but Judge Lickley concluded that there was limited link between his mental health condition – schizophrenia – and his actions. The judge noted that Joseph knew his paranoia would return if he did not take his medication, suggesting a degree of "clear thinking" in his behaviour.
The day after the shooting, Joseph endangered lives further by attempting to evade police, mounting a pavement and crashing into another vehicle. Officers later recovered a sawn-off shotgun containing Joseph's DNA, which had been discarded during a foot chase.
In a powerful victim impact statement, Jordan Rodney's mother Ivinia described her son as "strong and ambitious" and deeply loved by his family. She expressed the family's profound incomprehension at Joseph's actions: "We will never understand why you committed such an evil and horrific crime against our son."
The case highlights the devastating consequences of gun violence within communities, leaving deep scars on families affected.