Post by Len on Feb 15, 2007 18:31:20 GMT -5
A 15-year-old boy has been shot dead in his home, Scotland Yard have confirmed.
The teenager was found by a relative at the property in the Fenwick Place area of Clapham North just before 1540 GMT on Wednesday.
It is the third fatal shooting of a teenager in south London in less than two weeks.
Forensic teams were carrying out a search of the house in Clapham North and a post-mortem examination will be carried out on Thursday.
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Ian Blair, has called an emergency meeting with senior staff to discuss the recent shootings in south London.
Michael Dosunmu, 15, was shot dead in the bedroom of his Peckham home on 6 February.
Police believe he was a victim of mistaken identity.
Police are keeping an open mind as to the motive
Three days earlier, 16-year-old James Andre Smartt-Ford died after he was shot at Streatham Ice Arena.
Neighbours of the boy shot in Clapham North said they were shocked.
Christina Piludu said: "I know he was a good boy. He always respected all of us.
"He was always in the square playing with his bike, talking with the other children, just normal."
In a statement Scotland Yard said: "As is routine, links with recent murders in south London will be investigated but we must retain an open mind as to any potential motive.
"We would like to reassure the communities in south London that we are taking the current situation very seriously and are doing everything in our power to find those responsible."
Operation Trident
On Thursday, Sir Ian is scheduled to meet officers from the Met's Specialist Crime Directorate, which includes Operation Trident, a unit tasked with investigating gun crime in the black community.
The investigation is being handed over to Operation Trident, whose vice chair, Claudia Webbe, told BBC News that gun crime was "devastating London's streets".
"What we really do need to deal with is the prevention in the first place, long before that bullet has been fired, she said.
"Far too many of our young people know where, how and whom to get a gun from and that is worrying."
The teenager was found by a relative at the property in the Fenwick Place area of Clapham North just before 1540 GMT on Wednesday.
It is the third fatal shooting of a teenager in south London in less than two weeks.
Forensic teams were carrying out a search of the house in Clapham North and a post-mortem examination will be carried out on Thursday.
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Ian Blair, has called an emergency meeting with senior staff to discuss the recent shootings in south London.
Michael Dosunmu, 15, was shot dead in the bedroom of his Peckham home on 6 February.
Police believe he was a victim of mistaken identity.
Police are keeping an open mind as to the motive
Three days earlier, 16-year-old James Andre Smartt-Ford died after he was shot at Streatham Ice Arena.
Neighbours of the boy shot in Clapham North said they were shocked.
Christina Piludu said: "I know he was a good boy. He always respected all of us.
"He was always in the square playing with his bike, talking with the other children, just normal."
In a statement Scotland Yard said: "As is routine, links with recent murders in south London will be investigated but we must retain an open mind as to any potential motive.
"We would like to reassure the communities in south London that we are taking the current situation very seriously and are doing everything in our power to find those responsible."
Operation Trident
On Thursday, Sir Ian is scheduled to meet officers from the Met's Specialist Crime Directorate, which includes Operation Trident, a unit tasked with investigating gun crime in the black community.
The investigation is being handed over to Operation Trident, whose vice chair, Claudia Webbe, told BBC News that gun crime was "devastating London's streets".
"What we really do need to deal with is the prevention in the first place, long before that bullet has been fired, she said.
"Far too many of our young people know where, how and whom to get a gun from and that is worrying."
