Gun patrols could have saved my son from shooting

Jheni Barker, 47, a lecturer, said she wanted to see armed police patrols on local estates as a deterrent to gangs.

Her comments came after Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson withdrew plans for routine firearms patrols in gun crime hotspots because of angry protests from community leaders and members of the Met's governing body.

However Mrs Barker said she was concerned that armed police on estates could also lead to confrontations with gangs. "We need a police presence to deter crime but armed officers could lead to more people being shot," she said.

Officers from the CO19 firearms unit had been accompanying neighbourhood police teams on estates in Haringey and Brixton. His decision came a day after three teenagers, including Mrs Barker's son Kieon, were shot on an estate in Hackney. Two of those injured were 14 years old.

Asked what effect armed police would have had on Monday night's shooting Mrs Barker said: "This wouldn't have happened. And maybe if it had happened there would have been some sort of response and those responsible would not have just disappeared.

"I would have [armed police] back. I would go back to basics. We have got to take back the streets. You can't have children getting shot like that.

"My son's got enough stop and search slips to paper his wall with but where were [the police] on Monday?"

Her comments came as the gang who were targeted in the shooting vowed to take revenge. The brother of one of the victims told how his gang - the Shakespeare SOS (Shoot On Sight) crew - were targeted by about 15 youths.

The 16-year-old named two local gangs - the Lordship and Amhurst Road gangs - as the most likely culprits.

One of the 14-year-olds was injured by a bullet grazing his ear while the other was lucky to be alive after a bullet narrowly missed his heart. All of the boys attend the Stoke Newington Media, Arts and Science College.

Mrs Barker said when word of the shooting reached the family home she drove round in the car. She told of her devastation at seeing her son injured, insisting he was no gang member.

"I really don't have the words to explain how I feel. They had just come out of the youth club. They're very much little boys if you know them." She said Kieon may need another operation: "They're concerned there's still a bullet in the lower part of his body somewhere. He doesn't know why it happened. All I know is that somebody attempted to murder my son.

"He thought people were letting off fireworks. Then he fell on the floor as a bullet went in the back of his ear and hit his skull before coming back out.

"Trust me he is lucky. My son should be dead. It's the most awful thing. You read about this in the paper and you pray it never happens to you.

"When he came round this morning the first thing he said was, 'Mum am I going to die?' and I said, 'Not today sweetheart'."