A 36-year-old woman has died after suffering serious head injuries in “a horrific attack” in Ilford, east London, Scotland Yard said.
Olice, who had launched a murder investigation, said the victim was walking along Cranbrook Road toward Gants Hill Station when she was attacked.
The woman, who has not yet been formally identified, died in hospital on Sunday morning after being found injured in the early hours.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene at 2:44 am by the London Ambulance Service.
A crime scene remains in place.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who leads the Met’s East Area Basic Command Unit (BCU), said: “Our investigation is still in the critical early stages and is now led by homicide detectives from Specialist Crime.
“The woman was the victim of a horrific attack and unfortunately died of her injuries.
“Since the early hours of Sunday morning, urgent investigations have been underway to identify the woman. At this time, formal identification has yet to take place, but the woman’s family has been informed and is supported by specially trained officers.
“Teams of dedicated agents are working at a rapid pace to determine what happened and identify the person responsible. This includes full forensics of the crime scene and surrounding area, door-to-door investigations and a focus on identifying all available CCTV.
“No arrests have been made at this time.
“Locals will see a significant police presence in the area today and in the coming days.
“I understand this is an incredibly distressing incident for women, especially locally, and I urge you to be alert, but not alarmed.”
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, of the Met’s Crime Specialist North Command, is leading the investigation and said: “It is vital that my agents speak to every possible witness and anyone with information that can assist with the investigation.
“We are calling on anyone who was in the Cranbrook Road area of Ilford between 2am and 3am on Sunday morning to contact us, including anyone who has driven through the area and may have dashcam footage.
“We also want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the wider Ilford area last night.”
Anyone with information or images, or witnesses, is requested to call the main emergency room on 0208 345 3715.
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. They will never ask for your name and cannot trace your call, your IP address or the device you are using.