Three men from Croydon have been convicted in relation to an attempted murder, following a point-blank shooting in broad daylight using a sawn-off shotgun in New Addington in May 2025. Tevin Nzita and brothers Christopher and Anthony Da Sousa were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday to a combined total of 44 years in jail.
Arresting footage: armed police make the arrest of Tevin Nzita at his home in June 2025
Scotland Yard described the shooting as “a coordinated firearms attack on a man sitting in his car in a residential street”.
The victim, in his 30s, was ambushed while he was standing beside his parked car on Walsh Crescent around 7.30pm on May 21, 2025.
A car pulled up alongside him and one of the passengers got out. The victim moved into his car.
Two shots were fired, at close range. The first missed.
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. The victim, who has never been named by the police, was treated in hospital for injuries that were neither life-threatening nor life-changing.
At Woolwich Crown Court, the three men sentenced were:
- Tevin Nzita, 29, of Warbank Crescent, New Addington, was sentenced to 25 years in jail.
- Anthony Da Sousa, 30, of Station Approach, Coulsdon, was sentenced to 15 years.
- Christopher Da Sousa, 27, of Mickleham Way, New Addington, was sentenced to 4 years.
Guilty: Tevin Nzita has been sentenced to 25 years
According to Scotland Yard, the police were called shortly after 7.26pm on Wednesday May 21 2025 “following reports that shots had been fired on Walsh Crescent”.
The victim had already made his way to hospital before police, including armed 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 10 minutes before the shooting.” This, the police say, enabled them to “establish the shooting was a targeted retaliation”.
The investigation established that Nzita fired the shotgun, Anthony Da Sousa drove the 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”.
Guilty: Anthony Da Sousa was sentenced to 15 years
The police said: “Phone records showed the defendants were in contact at crucial moments before and after the shooting.” Police used CCTV and location data to place them at the scene.
Forensic examinations confirmed the weapon used was a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun fired at close range.
Detectives tracked the suspects’ vehicle to Old Coulsdon, around six miles from the scene of the shooting, where it had initially been hidden beneath a cover. Investigators established Anthony Da Sousa had arranged for damage to the car to be repaired before having cloned number plates fitted.
It took the police two weeks before they arrested Anthony Da Sousa and Nzita. Christopher Da Sousa was arrested in December.
Key video evidence used in the trial included footage filmed by the victim showing Tevin Nzita shortly before the shooting, CCTV capturing the suspects’ movements before and after the attack, and audio capturing the sound of the gunshots.
Following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, all three defendants were convicted on June 4.
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.
Guilty: Christopher Da Sousa
Christopher Da Sousa was convicted of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences.
Detective Constable John Davis, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said: “This was an incredibly dangerous attack carried out in a residential street where innocent members of the public could easily have been caught in the crossfire.
“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. Their actions showed a complete disregard for human life.”
The Met yesterday released a series of figures which they say suggest there is a reduction in incidents of gun crime in the capital. “Over the past 18 months, the number of the most serious violent offences has fallen by almost 20$, while lethal gunshot victims…”, the Met means people who have been shot dead, “… have reduced by 27%.
“Gun crime has more than halved since 2020 and officers seized 75% more firearms last year than the previous year.
“Since 2018, firearms discharges across London have reduced by almost 90%, reflecting the Met’s sustained focus on removing illegal weapons from the streets and bringing violent offenders to justice.”
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