A worshipper has spoken out about the terrifying moment a gunman burst into a mosque and fired a shot inches away from him.
Abu Chowdhury, 28, said he heard people shouting 'he's got a gun, he's got a gun', before a shot rang out at Seven Kings mosque in Ilford, London.
The quality manager feared the shooting was a copycat attack inspired by the Christchurch mosque massacre in New Zealand, however police do not believe the Seven Kings incident was terrorism-related.
Mr Chowdhury, from Whitechapel, London, who was praying when the gunman burst in, told Mirror Online: "I was inches away from where he [the gunman] was.
"I could not see him but I heard the commotion. I could hear pushing, shoving and shouting.
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"People were saying 'get away, take your mask off'. About three to four people stormed inside the mosque. I could hear one man saying 'he's got a gun, he's got a gun'.
"I was thinking 'I need to break my prayer now... I need to run because I'm going to be shot'. The guy said 'he's got a gun' and then the shot was fired. He was inside the mosque when the shot was fired."
Mr Chowdhury believes the other men who burst into the mosque with the gunman were security guards.
He added: "Thank God there was security outside. If it wasn't for them intervening then the guy would have come in. God knows what would have happened.
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"After the gunshot rang out I'm guessing the guy ran [away], because people started running after him. They chased him down an alleyway."
He compared the sound of the shot to a firework and said he did not think it was a real bullet.
Police believe the gunman used a blank firing handgun.
Frightened worshippers gathered together soon after the shooting, according to Mr Chowdhury.
Speaking about the potential motive for the attack, he said: "I'm guessing it's on the back of Christchurch and rising Islamophobia.
"People know it's Ramadan and you get large congregations in mosques. If you want to scare Muslims, it is probably a good time to get quite a few of them.
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"It's left me feeling a bit shaken considering what's happened in New Zealand. It makes you think twice."
Despite Mr Chowdhury's fears, police do not believe the incident was terrorism-related.
He was praying on the stairs of the mosque, right next to the entrance, when the gunman broke into the foyer.
The building was filled with worshippers, who packed out the congregation room upstairs, according to Mr Chowdhury.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police were called at 22.45pm on Thursday, May 9, to reports that a man, believed to be in possession of a firearm, had entered a mosque on High Road in Seven Kings.
“The man was ushered outside of the building by those inside. A gunshot was then heard.
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“Officers, including firearms officers, attended. There were no reported injuries. A large police presence remains at the scene.
“At this early stage, ballistic evidence recovered from the scene suggests that the weapon was a blank firing handgun.
“Officers will continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community.
“The Trident and Area Crime Command has been informed and the investigation is being led by detectives from the East Area Command Unit.
“There have been no arrests and enquiries continue. The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact borough officers via 101 quoting reference 8585/9May.”
