A heroic father died at his home in Croydon, South London as he tried to protect his family from masked gunmen.
Carlton Ned, 41, sacrificed himself to save his wife Donna Michael after the men burst into their house in Langdale Road, Thornton Heath, on July 1.
Mr Ned intervened after his wife was grazed by a bullet but was then fatally wounded as he tried to defend her.
Tragic victim: Carlton Ned died trying to save his wife from gunmen who had broken into his Croydon home"
The salesman was hit in the chest in the attack and died at the scene as paramedics tried to revive him.
Police later said that the couple had not been the gunmen's intended targets - with Mr Ned's stepson, a 'reformed gangster' and aspiring rapper called Konan, saying that they may have been after him.
Speaking about her husband, Mrs Michael said: 'He made me laugh a lot, every day. I think that is priceless and you cannot buy that sort of love.'
Breaking in: The gunmen burst into Mr Ned's home in Langdale Road, Thornton Heath, in the early hours of July 1"
The gunmen stormed into his family home at about 2.30am, making their way upstairs to the bedroom where Mrs Michael and Mr Ned had just woken.
Mrs Michael was injured as Mr Ned desperately tried to stop the masked attackers entering the room. He was then shot once and the men fled.
There have been no arrests at this stage.
Former gangster: Mr Ned's stepson Konan, an aspiring rap artist, believes he may have been the target"
Mrs Michael, a mother-of-two said, 'If he saw someone harassing someone else he would always help out. He did not even think about it.
'He used to say 'The only thing you are sure of in life is death, so what is the worst that could happen?'
Jennifer Morris, Mrs Michael's best friend and neighbour, who ran to the house to help in the aftermath of the shooting, said: 'He loved his wife and she was in danger, so he went into action. He was really brave.
'I was in bed when my phone rang and it was Donna saying she needed me to come round - he had just died. The paramedics could not help him.
'The first thing Donna said was 'What am I going to do without Carl? How can I cope without him?'
Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector John Crossley said: 'Two men, who were armed and had their faces covered, entered the house and fired a number of shots.'
'Two men fled the scene in the direction of London Road. One is described as being 5ft 2in, light-skinned black man and the other as being about 5ft 9in.
Konan has since said that the death of Mr Ned has weighed heavily upon him since he believes himself to have been the real target.
At large: Police said no arrests had yet been made in connection with the attack at Mr Ned's family home"
The 21-year-old has admitted being a part of a gang known as Gipset - named after the South London area of Gipsy Hill - but claimed he left the gang in 2005 and denied the attack was gang-related.
Konan, part of a rap duo called Krept and Konan - who are also known as Play Dirty - said he was trying to carry on with his music in spite of the tragedy and added, 'I have to stay strong for my mum and carry on doing what I'm doing.'
Play Dirty were in talks with several record labels and have been featured on prominent music radio stations Rinse FM and BBC 1Xtra.
The shooting took place in Thornton Heath, near Croydon in South London, where the couple lived"
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