A man was shot three times after wearing a t-shirt with Barack Obama..

Dube Egwuatu, 36, was buying a mobile phone top-up card at an off licence near his hime in South Norwood when a man saw his top with the US presidential candidate and the word “believe”.

The man then shouted racist abuse at Mr Egwuatu, saying he “f****** hated n*****”.

He left the shop but when Mr Egwuatu, who worked as a systems analyst for Croydon Council, came out of the shop the man was waiting for him with a vicious dog and a gun behind his back.

Mr Egwuatu told a national newspaper he zipped up his jacket to cover up the offending image in the eyes of his attacker and tried to walk to his car.

But the attacker followed him and pointed the gun at him after opening the passenger door.

As Mr Egwuatu turned the ignition key he was shot three times by the gun, which was a ball bearing pistol, in the face, hand and shoulder.

In fear of his life, he sped off and went to be treated at a south London hospital.

Mr Egwuatu said: “The venom in his voice was frightening.

“He was telling me that he was going to kill me.

“I couldn't believe it was happening - and just because I was wearing an Obama t-shirt.

“He was trying to make me walk somewhere quieter, saying: 'I've got something for you,” and 'I'm going to kill you’.”

He added: “Obama inspires me, his educational track record alone is quite unbelievable, that is why I was wearing the t-shirt.

“I did not think for one minute it could stir up such powerful feelings of hatred and I never said a word to him.”

Mr Egwuatu's wife, Angela, 35, said neither of them had experienced anything like it during their childhood in Nigeria.

Mrs Egwuatu, an immigration officer, said: “At first my feelings were pure horror and now it is pure anger.

“If he had been carrying a real gun I would have been a widow. It is just ridiculous.”

The Met said it was investigating and that police searched a nearby house which the attacker was seen going into. No one has been arrested.