David King was known to have a criminal past

David King, 32, who was known to have a criminal past, was killed with an automatic weapon in the shooting in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire on Friday morning.

The burned-out silver Mercedes 180 car thought to have been used as a second getaway vehicle was found in the Maiden's Lane area of Bulls Cross, Hertfordshire, on Saturday night.

The gunmen originally left the scene of the shooting in a white Transit van, which was left burning in the Lampits area of Hoddesdon.

It is thought they abandoned the second vehicle, again leaving it on fire, at about 1000 BST on Friday.

Crime scene

Hertfordshire Police said on Sunday that the area around the Mercedes had been sealed off and was being treated as a crime scene.

They said the car would be removed later on Sunday for a full forensic examination.

David King was a bodybuilder from Stevenage who was killed outside the gym in Hoddesdon after two masked gunmen pulled up in a van next to him.

The shooting took place outside a gym in Brewery Road

It is thought Mr King was a father-of-three who lived with his young son and girlfriend in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the shooting to come forward, and also for anyone who saw the silver Mercedes being driven erratically or at speed in the Lampits area of Hoddesdon on Friday.

Mr King's death was the second in three separate gun attacks in the last week.

On Tuesday, 64-year-old jeweller Marian Bates was shot and killed during a robbery at her shop in Nottingham.

The latest shooting happened on Friday at 2230 BST, when three men in Reading were shot at from a Volvo-type car.