The sister of a young Hackney man shot dead on his birthday while celebrating at a bar in Clerkenwell has made a heartfelt plea for friends or family of his killers to come forward.

Cyrena Barned, sister of 22-year-old Aarron McKoy who was gunned down in the early hours of New Year’s Day, said: “Someone out there must know who the killers are, but maybe through misplaced loyalty or just plain fear of the consequences they can’t bring themselves to do the right thing.

“But all of Aarron’s family and friends are asking, how can you be loyal to someone who killed another human being? Whoever murdered Aarron set out that day with a gun in his pocket and evil intentions not to maim but to kill on a day that everyone else went out to celebrate and bring in the New Year.”

Aarron, of no fixed address, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest in the attack in Portpool Lane at about 4.10am. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Murder detectives say he had been at the Clerkenwell House Wine Bar in Hatton Wall in the hours before he was killed and was involved in a fight outside in which a 24-year-old man was stabbed.

The violence then escalated and Aarron was chased down the road and shot.

Det Ch Insp John Crossley from the Met’s Trident unit – which deals with gun crime in London’s black communities – told the Gazette that he believed Hackney residents had been at the bar and asked them to come forward with information.

Cyrena said she understood how people might be frightened of speaking out for fear of repercussions but that they would be offered police protection.

“I’m sure somebody, somewhere, knows who killed my brother and I just pray that if they search their hearts they will do the right thing,” she added.

“From now on not only will my family and friends remember Aarron’s birthday at New Year but also his death. New Year will never be the same for our family again, you may be out there celebrating, but we will be mourning.”

Although a Hackney man has appeared in court in connection with the shooting, police enquiries continue.

Detectives have also arrested a 22-year-old man and bailed him to return to a north London police station in March, pending further inquiries.

An earlier suspect was released without charge.

Anyone with information should call DCI Crossley on 020 8733 4212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.