People who live close to the scene of a shooting which left one man dead said they were woken up by multiple gunshots and a scream.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, died after he was shot in west London in the early hours of Sunday, sparking a murder investigation.

Police were called to Kensington High Street at 2.02am, following reports of gunfire.

Officers found a man with gunshot wounds and provided emergency first aid until the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance arrived.

He was taken to a central London hospital where he died at 5.32am.

One man, in his 30s, who did not want to be named, said that nothing like this has happened in the three years he has lived in the area.

He told the PA news agency: “It sounded like fireworks, it was two or three (gunshots) and then it stopped and it was like five or something.

“We thought it was from a car or fireworks, we didn’t think it was a shooting. It’s never happened round here.”

A man in his 40s, from a nearby building, who also did not want to be named, told PA: “I woke up with the gunshots, five, six.

“When I came out in the morning, I saw the police close here.

“I think I heard a car – I remember I heard a car as well. I think I heard the scream as well, it was a tiny scream.

“This area, to be honest, I have even told them, the manager, security, sometimes I can see from the window, some people come here and smoke. (I said) you need to make it more lighter, camera, CCTV.”

A black car was seen being towed away from the scene on Sunday.

A 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody.

The victim’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. A post-mortem examination has yet to take place.

Homicide detectives from the Met’s specialist crime command are investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC giving the reference 824/04SEP.