Tonight:
9°c
A dramatic rise in London gun crime is being fuelled by teenage "respect" shootings and other minor disagreements, the Met revealed today.
Young criminals are increasingly ready to use firearms after a perceived slight to their reputation. One aspect of the "chaotic" new trend is that they shoot to injure rather than kill, aiming at the victim's legs and leaving their rivals with "war wounds".
The number of these shootings now stands at 72, more than double the total for last year. Commander Martin Hewitt said the propensity to use "extreme levels of violence for seemingly very little reason" was a new phenomenon.
He said that when Operation Trident began investigating gun crime in the black community most shootings were an "offshoot" of criminal activity.
Police have seized more than 1,000 guns in London so far this year. While overall youth violence is falling, police say there is a rise in gun crime and, in particular, the number of non-fatal shootings involving turf wars.
Many criminals are inflicting "war wounds" on rivals by shooting them in the legs. The number of these shootings now stands at 72, more than double the total for last year.
Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson linked rising gun crime in the capital with feuding gangs. Met figures show a 14 per cent rise in gun crime in London over four months during the summer.
There has been a spate of "drive-by" and other targeted shootings, apparently connected to gang and other criminal disputes. Many offences are said to be "intimated" where someone claims or threatens to have a gun but a weapon is not seen.
However, police are highlighting a new trend of "respect" shootings where it seems the gunmen do not intend to kill. Mr Hewitt, the head of Organised Crime and Criminal Networks, said: "The significant factor is a small element of people prepared to use very extreme levels of violence for seemingly very little reason.
"It is a new phenomenon, a propensity for extreme violence. When Operation Trident first started the gun crime that was taking place was the enforced offshoot of criminal activity.
"Where it is different now is that it is less to do with organised crime but more to do with respect issues and disagreements. It is more chaotic, more spontaneous. It is a matter of reputation and issues around peer pressure."
Police say more weapons are being seized because of an increased focus on recovering guns. Mr Hewitt said: "When we get intelligence about a weapon we put enormous resources into recovering it. We are going after people who convert guns and the armourers."
Police say there is evidence that it is more difficult for criminals to get hold of firearms. Trends show criminals are using more shotguns, partly because there is a more ready supply of cartridges and ammunition for them than for handguns.
The weapons of choice for gangsters are the Russian-made 9mm Baikal pistol which is smuggled into the UK from illegal factories in Lithuania and the Mac-10 sub-machine pistol.
A sub-machine gun is believed to have been used in the suspected gang war murder of 21-year-old Turkish shop worker Cem Duzgun two weeks ago.
There have also been warnings about girls and children carrying weapons for boyfriends or older gang members. Earlier this year a 14-year-old boy was convicted of possessing a gun, a silencer and ammunition. The weapon was found in his bedroom in Lewisham when he was just 13.
The number of guns being seized in London has risen steadily in recent years. In the whole of 2002 just 1,000, including imitation guns, were recovered. This year, up until the end of July 985 were seized. Police say that by this month the total will have reached more than 1,000.
Of the 985, 217 were "live-firing" weapons - 136 handguns, 72 shotguns and nine sub-machineguns. The rest are believed to be BB guns, replicas or other "non-live firing" guns.
Reader views (31)
Reapect for guns, the met don't even show respect and set a bad example. Don't agree? Well just search youtube for 'metopolitan police shooting'. You will see what appears to be a Met officer shooting a screaming New Zealander
- Mark Andrews, London
I know of a consultant who has been trying to tell the Home Office & Select Committtes about this problem for fiveteen years. They are not listening, prefering PC solutions and gesture politics instead of real action.
-oh , and it`s real guns that are being illegally imported, not replicas.
- Clive Allen, Brighton, UK
Bunch of hairless pri*cks, bring back the stock!
- Cagu, United Kingdom
No is the time to bring back the death sentence for anyone who kills another person whether it be by the use of a gun or otherwise. It is time to come down hard on the criminals who have got away with it for too long.
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK
We should form a platoon and send them to afganistan, fighting alone with just the guns they are arrested with. If they return then they will find new meaning to the word respect.
- Russ, London
I don't know why they can't sit around a table with a nice pot of tea with some digestives and discuss their problems.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
all we can hope for now, is for a tourist to be shot dead. with the olympics looming, anything that might affect the tourist trade will grab the attention of MPs. if it's just locals being killed the government will continue to turn a blind eye.
- Ben Farrell, London
I work for a charity who run a project working with young offenders trying to stop them re-offending.
Few observations:
- it is not just black kids, though it is always pretty much poorer kids. We are increasingly seeing these kind of problems spreading to poorer white areas in outer London
- kids don't just commit these crimes for 'respect'. Many of them do it for hard financial gain but this is not always to buy themselves the latest pair of £100 trainers - it is often to put food on the table of their families. This is especially true if the parents are taking drugs.
- yes these kids are often brash, loud and obnoxious but behind this exterior they are unconfident and have little or no faith in their abilities to break away from crime and violence
- In view of the above...schools, charities, youth groups, police etc can try and patch things up when it all goes pear shaped but it starts at home with good parenting. We recently had a young man we are working with in prison tell us he started smoking weed with his mother at the age of 11. Fortunately, we have found somewhere else for him to live upon his release because if he returns home he is set up to fail and will soon be either a/ shot or b/ in prison again.
- Tamsin, London
If anyone has bothered to look into the history of the American influence around the world since the 60's, they would clearly see the same pattern emerges.Drugs and Gun crimes have always soared to to record levels in all the countries.
As long as the mass media continue to welcome their influence, it will continue.
Our very own unique identity has been deliberalty erased from exsistence.
So there will be no change in sight, so don't hold your breath.
- Max, London, England
I agree with Squiz, Islington...
Mickinlondon, london's comment was idiotic.
Also any bullets fired into the air don't just disappear...they have to come down again at some point.
- Steve, Ashford Middx
Last week a guy in Hong Kong got 11 years for importing a pistol. He did not get around to shooting anyone with it, otherwise the sentence would have been much longer.
- Arthur, Hong Kong
Quote: Bj, London. Therefore the penalty for carrying an unlicensed firearm should be a mandatory life sentence.
You already get Five Years for possession of a firearm; Bj, and that doesn't stop anyone etc, life would be the same, it will not stop anyone, because they have to be caught first, and nobody thinks they will get caught etc, and few are etc.
Giving them life for getting caught in possession of a firearm, would only encourage them to resist arrest; knowing the life sentence involved etc, and shoot it out with the police, knowing that you would only get the same life sentence, no-matter how far they go etc.
You also get five years for a knife etc; which kills more people than guns do at the moment.
You see its not possible to licence guns anymore; the public in general cannot licence guns either; so all guns in circulation are illegal anyway.
If you really want to cut murders of all kinds; guns, knives, ropes, choppers, swords, and all the rest, then the death sentence is the only way, and the most effective deterrent of all.
But even then; you will not stop all murders, and life doesn't mean life either, gun possession without killing, or plain murder by any killing means available?
- Mickinlondon, london
All educated or let into the country by Labour. Could someone please let me know of one thing that would cause anyone to vote for them.
- Fred, London
There is a difference between Respect and Fear. This is Simply Crime and about Yobs !
- Ataxpayer, london
These 'kids' don't even respect themselves, let alone anyone else. Best solution, is gather them althogether and put them in some disused air field, give them a few guns and let them blast each other to death. Problem solved, scum gone !!! As a tax payer, this is the cheapest way forward.
- Tony, Barnet
Quote: Bj, London. Therefore the penalty for carrying an unlicensed firearm should be a mandatory life sentence.
You already get Five Years for possession of a firearm; Bj, and that doesn't stop anyone etc, life would be the same, it will not stop anyone, because they have to be caught first, and nobody thinks they will get caught etc, and few are etc.
Giving them life for getting caught in possession of a firearm, would only encourage them to resist arrest; knowing the life sentence involved etc, and shoot it out with the police, knowing that you would only get the same life sentence, no-matter how far they go etc.
You also get five years for a knife etc; which kills more people than guns do at the moment.
You see its not possible to licence guns anymore; the public in general cannot licence guns either; so all guns in circulation are illegal anyway.
If you really want to cut murders of all kinds; guns, knives, ropes, choppers, swords, and all the rest, then the death sentence is the only way, and the most effective deterrent of all.
But even then; you will not stop all murders, and life doesn't mean life either, gun possession without killing, or plain murder by any means available?
- Mickinlondon, london
The solution to this problem is direct. Any person, black, white, male or female carrying a gun should face a crime and justice system that exhibits the following characteristics:
1. A relentless determination to apprehend violent criminals or those armed to commit violence (i.e more of a priority than fleecing drivers for traffic fines.)
2. A judicial system that passes meaningful and draconian custodial sentences for gun use and gun possession.
3. A prison system that acts as a powerful disincentive for crime - i.e we dont get to see the thug that murdered Ben Kinsella boasting on facebook about his cushy life in prison, playing playstation etc.
4. We have a probation service that puts the needs of the public ahead of the desire to give violent criminals "a second chance" - which can mean a second chance to kill, maim or harm another innocent person.
Liberal moral relativists have had control of the justice system for over a decade. In that time people I care about have been harmed, in one case with effects that will last the rest of their life. And the violent enjoy ever greater impunity. A total failure!
I feel ashamed to have voted for left wing parties.
- Danny, London
Quote: Bj, London. Therefore the penalty for carrying an unlicensed firearm should be a mandatory life sentence.
You already get Five Years for possession of a firearm; Bj, and that doesn't stop anyone etc, life would be the same, it will not stop anyone, because they have to be caught first, and nobody thinks they will get caught etc, and few are etc.
Giving them life for getting caught in possession of a firearm, would only encourage them to resist arrest; knowing the life sentence involved etc, and shoot it out with the police, knowing that you would only get the same life sentence, no-matter how far they go etc.
You also get five years for a knife etc; which kills more people than guns do at the moment.
You see its not possible to licence guns anymore; the public in general cannot licence guns either; so all guns in circulation are illegal anyway.
If you really want to cut murders of all kinds; guns, knives, ropes, choppers, swords, and all the rest, then the death sentence is the only way, and the most effective deterrent of all.
But even then; you will not stop all murders, and life doesn't mean life either.
- Mickinlondon, london
How can any one have respect for these uneducated 'The Wire wannabe's'.They have no ability to contribute or do anything worthwhile in a civilised society and I am afraid are very typical of an unemployable underclass being churned out by the state education system. Countless educationists tell us we are wrong to condemn these people because they are poor, unloved, from broken homes etc. Remember folks education ! education ! education! Perhaps Balls would like to comment ? Sorry too busy filling in another expense form !
- Nick Holland, glasgow
Law should be changed and enforced.
5 years for carrying the firearm
5 years if its loaded or ammunition is on your person
10 years for discharging a firearm in a public place.
- Terence Harrington, Canterbury, UK
This is bad news but of course the politicians would have us believe that we are safer than ever. Absolute rubbish! Let's face it the gov't is no longer in control and never will be unless there is a deterrent. I've said it before and I'll say it again ... in Singapore each one of these idiots caught in possession of a gun would get 25 years in a rat and cockroach infested prison cell with no prospect of an early release. And guess what, there's hardly any such crime in Singapore. It's that simple.
- I Taylor, Preston, Lancs.
It is nice to know they only shoot to injure or wound people, unlike the police that shoot to kill?
- Mickinlondon, london
I've seen some witless comments on the ES boards and made plenty myself but this really takes the biscuit. You Sir, are a buffoon.
- Squiz, Islington
Quote: Steve M, London. The local Police Inspector reassured us all by informing us there was nothing to worry about as it was nothing more than 2 local gangs showing out to each other, and he reassured us even more by telling us they were only firing their guns in the air.
A bit like Afghanistan or any other undemocratic State, Steve; or even an IRA funeral, and yes even one of our own military funerals; firing bullets into the air is a mark of respect, most kids see that on the news, so they copy other adults in that respect etc.
It is nice to know they only shoot to injure or wound people, unlike the police that shoot to kill?
- Mickinlondon, london
Carrying an unlicensed firearm can only be interpreted as having intent to use it. That can only be interpreted as intent to kill or having no concern for the consequences.
Therefore the penalty for carrying an unlicensed firearm should be a mandatory life sentence.
It will not stop gun crime but it will dramatically reduce the numbers carrying weapons.
- Bj, London
What neighborhoods are these things happining in?
- Jose, Madrid, Spain
i don't know why teenagers adopt this 'respect' word as they clearly don't understand the meaning of it.
- Steve, London
Lets get real here how many of the shootings involve young white males? Thought so a very tiny proportion, so why the media bias in always showing young white males in pictures (see above)? The elephant in the room will not go away and let us state clearly we have a particular problem with black teenage gangs and trying to "white"wash the situation does no one any good.
- Richard, Hastings
Stick them all in a galdiatorial arena and let them slug it out to the death if that's what they want. ITV/Channel 4 can televise it with the rest of their reality TV dross and we can all sleep peacefully (and the amount spent on dole will most likely drop).
- Bob, Cheam
Why is anyone at all surprised with these very disturbing figures?
The police are far too busy ticking boxes for the muppets in Whitehall and drinking tea, than they are of patrolling the streets.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR
Wow, these guys shooting each other now have honour, the Met are trying to portray them as modern day Robin Hoods.
Recently in my local area many people called the police after hearing gunshots late at night. The local Police Inspector reassured us all by informing us there was nothing to worry about as it was nothing more than 2 local gangs showing out to each other, and he reassured us even more by telling us they were only firing their guns in the air.
- Steve M, London
Each week more news reports of shootings and stabbings, mainly of people under 25. Teenagers possessing and using violent weapons on each other for supposed or perceived slights. Playground type insecurities carried on to the streets with adult weapons of war.
Guns and weapons have never been so readily available to young children who have grown used to having them and using them. More people who are uninvolved in the gang culture are being wounded or killed in the crossfire.
Life has become cheap. So many lives being lost so senselessly.
- Catherine, London
