Shot teen (19) latest victim of youth violence epidemic sweeping London

A TEENAGER has died after he was shot in east London, sparking a murder investigation.

The 19-year-old was taken to hospital by friends after the incident in Walthamstow at around 11pm on Saturday.

The victim was pronounced dead at 11.38pm, the Metropolitan Police said.

It comes less than 24 hours after a 20-year-old man was killed in a “senseless” stabbing at a house party in north-east London.

Two other people, a 17-yearold boy and a 24-year-old man, were also seriously injured in the shooting, although their injuries

Murder: Police at the scene

were not described as life-threatening.

A local resident, who lives in a flat overlooking the street, said he woke up to find police cars and officers had taped off both ends of Vallentin Road.

The resident of the district, who asked not to be named, told the Press Association: “It is just sad. A shooting is horrible. “I feel saddened for the family but I guess this sort of thing can happen anywhere now these days.”

The scene remained cordoned of yesterday.

There have been more than 100 homicides in the capital so far this year.

Detectives are appealing for information over the shooting on Saturday night.

Police said they were called to Vallentin Road shortly after 11pm.

“The victim — a 19-year-old man — was driven by friends to a north-east London hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11.38pm,” the force said.

“Officers believe they know his identity, but await formal identification and confirmation that next of kin have been informed.

“A post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.”

No one has been arrested and witnesses are urged to contact police.

The 20-year-old man was stabbed to death in Hackney in the early hours of Saturday.

Police were called at around 12.50am to a fight at a flat in Stamford Hill and the victim was pronounced dead several hours later.

The Independent reported this week on concerns that the youth violence epidemic in London is leading to a mental health crisis among young people in the capital.

Experts warned that a generation of young people had been traumatised by experiencing and witnessing violent deaths within their communities, at a time when youth psychological services have been cut.

Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Wednesday that youth violence must be treated as a public health issue, and announced that £500,000 had been earmarked to establish the capital’s new Violence Reduction Unit, modelled on a long-term programme in Glasgow.