Half of Shootings in London Go Unsolved but Police Say Prosecutions Rising

Forensics officers search for evidence after a shooting outside a cafe in Dalston, east London, on May 30, 2024. James Manning/PA

Investigations into nearly half of shootings in London ended with nobody being convicted of any offence, according to figures released by the Metropolitan Police on Monday.

But the Met said in a statement that the percentage of investigations in which an offender was prosecuted had risen to 52 percent, the highest rate in 11 years.

Last month a 9-year-old girl was critically injured after she was shot outside a Turkish cafe in Dalston, east London. Detectives said they believed the shooting may have been linked to a “Turkish-originating organised crime network.”

Almost three weeks later the gunman, who escaped on a stolen motorbike, has not yet been arrested.

Detectives said fear often prevents witnesses coming forward with evidence about shootings or sharing vital evidence such as doorbell camera footage.

Commander Paul Brogden said, “It comes down to trust within our communities, we need the communities to trust us with evidence, trust us with handling Ring doorbell footage, CCTV access.”

“People are worried, people are frightened, victims are frightened and often are reluctant to come forward. We encourage them to trust us, we will keep them safe,” he added.

‘Our Outcome Rates Have Improved’

“While our outcome rates have improved, there are 48 percent that we haven’t managed to solve,” said Mr. Brogden.

One shooting that will go down as unsolved is an attack on a couple who were asleep at their home in northwest London on Jan. 16, 2022.

Shots were fired at their front door but nobody was injured.

Last year Meckeal Pond, a rapper better known as Ratlin, was acquitted of attempted murder at the Old Bailey.

Prosecutor Nicola Merrick claimed said the shooting incident was linked to an incident in which the rapper’s chain was ripped off him at a nightclub in Edmonton, north London, a few hours earlier.

But Mr. Pond and his cousin, Reece Pond, denied attempted murder, possession of a firearm self-loading pistol, and theft of the car and were acquitted.

Mr. Brogden said detectives have “long memories” and will investigate for years.

Last week two members of a gang in Newham, east London, were jailed for life for murdering a rival in April 2021 in an incident in which a sawn-off shotgun was used.

Awadh Saleh (L) and Rio Burton-Devine (R) who were jailed for life for a gun murder in Newham, east London, on June 12, 2024. Metropolitan Police

Awadh Saleh and Rio Burton-Devine, both 25, were sentenced to a minimum of 36 and 31 years respectively after Junior Jah, 18, was shot in Custom House, east London. Saleh then stabbed the teenager several times as he lay dying.

‘Brutal, Cowardly, and Wanton’ Murder

Judge Mark Dennis, KC described the killing as “brutal, cowardly, and wanton.”

The Met said around half of shootings in London are believed to be linked to organised crime or gang rivalries.

In some cases, say the police, the victims seek to get retribution themselves without involving law enforcement.

Detective Superintendent Victoria Sullivan, who is based in southeast London, said, “Often the victim themselves who’s been shot do not want to divulge to police and that might be because they’re seeking retribution themselves.”

“So potentially today’s victim could be tomorrow’s suspect. And that’s why it’s really important that we act really, really quickly to try and dissolve that situation,” she added.

Ricardo Anderson (L) was jailed for 16 years after he was caught on CCTV shooting at rivals (R) in a street in Tottenham, north London, on May 27, 2023. Metropolitan Police

Last month Ricardo Anderson, 21, was jailed for 16 years after he was caught on CCTV firing at rivals in a car who drove past him in Tottenham, north London, and aimed a gun at him and his associates in May 2023.

The Met said the number of shootings in London has actually fallen from 196 in 2022/2023 to 145 in 2023/2024.

Murders involving guns have also fallen from 12 in 2021/2022 to eight in 2023/2024.

So far this year there have been only two murders involving guns: on Easter bank holiday Monday Janayo Lucima, 21, was shot dead in West Kensington; and Jazmel Patterson-Low, 26, was shot dead in Lambeth on May 11.

Seven people have been charged in connection with the murder of Lucima, who had been convicted in 2021 of perverting the course of justice.

But nobody has yet been charged in connection with Mr. Patterson-Low’s murder.

PA Media contributed to this report.