Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has hit out at the government for “failing in their basic duty to keep people safe” after the Bank Holiday weekend in the capital was marred by four shootings within 24 hours.
Khan said on Monday that the capital’s police service was “overstretched and under-resourced”, blaming £1 billion of spending cuts imposed on the force.
On Saturday, 17-year-old Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton was shot dead near his home in Southwark, south London.
A 22-year-old man was shot in New Cross Road, Lewisham, at around 6.30pm on Sunday. His conit
Elsewhere in the capital in Wealdstone, north west London, a 15-year-old boy suffered head injuries caused by “a number of shotgun pellets”, police said. In a separate incident nearby a 13-year-old boy was shot while walking along the road with his parents. Scotland Yard said that neither of victims’ conditions are thought to be life-threatening.
A 39-year-old man was arrested on Sunday evening in connection with the Wealdstone shootings. He has been released under investigation.
A man, 43, was also stabbed in Ealing following a driving dispute on Sunday. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The Metropolitan Police is investigating more than 60 alleged murders so far this year in London.
Khan said the violent crime in London is “simply unacceptable”, adding: “It cannot be tolerated.”
The Mayor of London said: “Keeping Londoners safe is my top priority - I remain in constant contact with the Metropolitan Police and am reassured that they are doing everything they can to bring those responsible to justice and to keep us all safe.
“However, the police service in London, like the rest of the country, is overstretched and under-resourced.
“Violent crime has been rising across the country since 2014 and the Government is failing in their basic duty to keep people safe – imposing cuts of £1bn on the Met Police which risk sending police numbers to historically low levels.
“The Home Office’s own evidence shows you cannot keep cutting without consequences, and violent crime devastates communities and ruins lives.
“As Mayor I’m doing all I can to compensate for the failure of ministers.”
Khan said that City Hall is investing an additional £110 million in the Met to boost police numbers, as well as a new £45 million fund to help tackle the causes of violent crime and support young people to turn away from criminality.
“I refuse to accept that nothing can be done to stem the appalling tide of violent killings we are seeing on our streets and together with the police, community groups, victims and their families and Londoners, will continue to work ceaselessly to tackle violent crime,” Khan added.
The Met said that there will be additional officers on the streets across the capital over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The mother of shooting victim Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton made a plea on Sunday for the violence to stop.
Pretana Morgan told reporters near her home in the Brandon Estate: “We do not need this. We cannot be doing this all the time, teenagers you need to stop please.
“Enjoy your life, your youth, get knowledge in your head, get wisdom and knowledge.
“You only have one life, you better make use of it.”
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
