Tanesha Melbourne-Black was only 17 when she was shot by the occupants of a passing car on Monday. She was out with friends in Tottenham when a car drove up at around 9.30 pm. Speaking to the Guardian, a friend, who did not want to be named, told reporters that "the car just pulled up and started shooting." After the incident, crowds gathered and among them was Tanesha's distraught mother. Tanesha's violent untimely death is the second in 24 hours. On Monday, a 16-year-old boy was shot in Walthamstow and later also succumbed to his injuries.
The local community alongside politicians, community leaders, and the Metropolitan police have been trying to understand the recent increase in violent crime.
The 2018-London Crime Rates are staggering. In January, eight people were victims of a violent death, 15 in February, 22 in March, and four so far in April. If this trend continues, the 2018-crime rates will surpass 180, a figure last topped in 2005. Last year, the total number of violent deaths in London was 116. Stabbings and violent assaults account for the majority of the killings.
London's crime rates worse than New York's
London has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Numerous media sources lead with similar headlines, pointing out that London's crime rates are now worse than New York's. Originally, the Sunday Times broke the story, which was later echoed in countless broadsheets across the globe.
Comparisons are easy because the population sizes of both cities are similar. Reacting to the reports, the Metropolitan police insisted that "London remains one of the safest [cities] in the world." Nonetheless, the recent spree of violent deaths often involving individuals with no links to crime has been a major source of concern.
Who is responsible for tackling London crime?
In recent days, politicians have been engaging in squabbles attempting to lay blame for the upsurge in violent crime. Labour MPs have blamed government cuts, while the government has been holding London's Mayor, Sadiq Khan responsible. According to the Guardian, a spokesman for the prime minister said:" The Mayor of London is accountable for the performance of the Metropolitan police." Meanwhile, on Twitter, Sadiq Khan promised to increase funding for the Metropolitan police.
Tory police cuts have already cost London thousands of police officers & staff, most of our police station front counters & police buildings. City Hall's 2018/19 Budget invests an additional £110 million into the Met, boosting officer numbers & helping to tackle knife crime. pic.twitter.com/W9WD8mYfrl
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) April 4, 2018
For the families of the victims, these exchanges provide no comfort, nor do they ease the fears of the many people living in disenfranchised communities. Behind every victim lie a devastated community and a distraught family. The Metropolitan police have vowed to investigate Tanesha's murder and continue to combat violent crime. Detectives now believe that her murder may be connected to a feud between Wood Green and Tottenham gangs.
London crime - the bigger picture
At the weekend, an emergency services doctor pointed out on Twitter that the current spree of killings points to a far greater issue.
The number of children stabbed and shot this weekend that we have had to treat @NHSBartsHealth is very upsetting. This is an epidemic of violence against and between kids and we ought to be outraged, we ought to be motivated to fix it and we shouldn’t rest until we have.
— Jonny Scrimshaw (@EMDrJonny) April 2, 2018
