Teenager shot dead in second London youth murder within 24 hours

Nineteen-year-old fatally shot in Walthamstow hours after young man stabbed to death in Hackney

A teenager has been shot dead in the second youth murder in London within the space of 24 hours.

Police were called to reports of a shooting in Walthamstow shortly after 11pm on Saturday night. The 19-year-old was driven by friends to a northeast London hospital, where he was pronounced dead around half an hour later.

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

There has been no arrest at this early stage and enquiries are ongoing and a murder investigation has been launched.

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

The resident of the inner-city 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.”

Cordons remain in place at the scene.

It happened less than 24 hours after a 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 20-year-old was pronounced dead several hours later.

More than 100 murders have taken place in London so far this year, of which a third involved victims aged 16 to 24.

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.

Any witnesses or anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting CAD 7639sep22.