Five shot in night of violence
FIVE people were gunned down in three separate shootings in London on Friday night – with one reportedly involving a sub-machine gun.
Police were scrambled to multiple shootings and stabbings in a blood-soaked night of violence across the capital as revellers ignored social-distancing rules and attended mass illegal raves.
Two people were reportedly shot on the Angell Town estate in Brixton, South London, just before 7pm on Friday. Witnesses reported hearing 17 shots being fired – allegedly from a sub-machine gun.
The Metropolitan Police said there was no trace of the victims at the crime scene but two men with gunshot wounds later turned up at a South London hospital.
A spokesman said: ‘We await an update on their condition. Officers remain at the scene. At this early stage, there have been no arrests and inquiries continue.’
Another two men, aged 30 and 31, were shot at an unlicensed music event in Mandeville Street, Brixton, between 1am and 2am on Saturday. The injured men were driven to Homerton University Hospital in a blue BMW for treatment, according to The Sun.
Armed officers were scrambled to the hospital, which was subsequently placed on lockdown. Two men, also aged 30 and 31, were later arrested and remain in police custody.
Witnesses reported seeing specialist blood and explosives-detection dogs being used to search the area around Mandeville Street. A bullet casing and a machete were reportedly found on a bridge near the scene of the shootings. A fifth person was shot at close range in Croydon, South London, just yards from West Croydon station, at 1.40am. The man, who is believed to be in his 20s, was taken to hospital and his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Meanwhile, in Ilford, East London, a police officer suffered a head injury while trying to break up a mass brawl after 200 people had gathered as part of Eid celebrations on Friday evening.
A police officer was also hit by a bottle outside Shoreditch Tube station in East London on Friday night. The officer was taken to hospital as a precaution, and one man was arrested.
Forensic officers were photographed collecting evidence after a reported stabbing in Harlesden, North-West London, in the early hours of the morning. Elsewhere, officers were dispatched to break up a 150-person illegal rave in Archway, North London.