Two men and two women arrested for murder after man was run over in Iceland car park in Dagenham

Two men and two women have been arrested for murder after a man was repeatedly run over and killed in a supermarket car park.

Detectives launched a murder investigation when the 47-year-old victim was discovered in the car park of an Iceland supermarket in Dagenham, east London.

John Avers was hit by a car which fled the scene, and police believe he was ‘deliberately harmed’ shortly before midnight on September 13.

Officers from Met Police and Kent Police stopped a vehicle on the A2 near Gravesend, at around 11.30pm on 18 September. 

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after John Avers, 47, was repeatedly run over and killed the car park of an Iceland shop in Dagenham, east London

One man was arrested on suspicion of murder, and he remains in custody in a north London police station.

Two women were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and have since been released under investigation.

A second man, aged 58, was also arrested in Southend-on-Sea on suspicion of murder a day later. He remains in custody at an Essex police station.

The victim’s next of kin have been told and are being supported by officers, police said. 

Paramedics had attended but the Mr Avers died at the scene after suffering multiple injuries, a post-mortem found.

A statement from Metropolitan Police said: ‘Police were called to a car park in Whalebone Lane South at 23:43hrs on Sunday, 13 September, to reports of a collision between a car and a pedestrian.

John Avers (above) died at the scene, after emergency services were called shortly before midnight on September 13, after suffering multiple injuries, a post-mortem found

John Avers (above) died at the scene, after emergency services were called shortly before midnight on September 13, after suffering multiple injuries, a post-mortem found

‘Officers attended along with paramedics from London Ambulance Service. The 47-year-old was found seriously injured and died at the scene a short time later.

‘A post-mortem examination found that John died from multiple injuries.’ 

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Wrigley, from the Met’s Specialist Crime North team, is leading the investigation. 

He previously said: ‘My thoughts are with John’s family at this very sad time.

‘I and my officers believe John was deliberately harmed and we are treating this incident as a murder inquiry.

‘We are using every available tactic to trace who was responsible for John’s death.

‘I know that there were people in the area and I am asking them to tell us what they saw or heard.

‘If you know anything at all about this horrible crime, please don’t keep it to yourself.

Two women were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and have been released under investigation

Two women were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and have been released under investigation

‘If you don’t want to talk to us, you can speak to Crimestoppers anonymously. The most important thing you can do is share what you know.’ 

Witnesses at the time said they believed Mr Avers had been run over four or five times in the car park. 

A shop worker who was about to leave after a night shift said at the time, he saw paramedics working on Mr Avers after he had been struck.

Shahid Khattack, store manager at the nearby Iceland that backs on to the scene, saw him lying in the car park after the attack.

The 32-year-old said: ‘I was about to come out of the shop out the back when I saw the paramedics and emergency services.

‘They were still working on him, pumping his chest, doing CPR, trying to save him. It was a shocking thing to see.

‘We have a lot of trouble and threats from shoplifters, but you don’t expect to see that.’ 

The 47-year-old victim's next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers, police said

The 47-year-old victim’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers, police said

Mr Khattack added: ‘People I’ve spoken to who saw it said he was run over about four or five times.’ 

Other witnesses also claimed to have seen a car repeatedly run over the victim as he was lying on the ground.

A man in his 20s said: ‘I heard something that sounded like someone groaning. I kept hearing it so went to the window and saw him lying, groaning on the ground.

‘Then I saw a car come in and run over him. At first I was so shocked I couldn’t tell what really happened, then it reversed and went ‘bang’ straight over him again.

‘I was so shocked I couldn’t believe it. I was like ‘did I actually just see that?’ I told my mum and she called the police. It was so crazy.’

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting CAD 8443/13Sep or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.