Three held after fatal London shooting

Three people were being held by police today after a teenager was shot dead and two youths were stabbed on a London housing estate.

Police found the 17-year-old gunshot victim in a stairwell at Heron House on the Pelican Estate in Peckham, south east London, at about 4.30pm yesterday following reports of an assault.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers also discovered a 17-year-old male at a nearby address in Gannet House suffering a stab wound. He was taken to a south London hospital where he is said to be in a stable condition.

Following the discoveries, police were alerted to a third victim, an 18-year-old male, after he arrived at a separate south London hospital, also suffering from a stab wound. He was later discharged with minor injuries.

"Officers are treating all three incidents as linked at this early stage and three males have been arrested in connection with the investigation," said a Metropolitan Police spokesman.

A large police cordon was put in place around the estate following the killing and teams of forensics officers began investigating the crime scenes for clues. Gannet House sits 50ft away from Heron House.

A woman who lives on the estate said the area was dangerous and urged police to increase routine patrols.

The mother of two, who did not want to be named, said the area used to have a problem with gangs which has returned after seemingly ending a few years ago.

"I think it's pathetic," she said.

"I keep my son indoors and he is 18. There's too much going on on the streets. It's not safe here at all.

"The police should be patrolling round here more often.

"An innocent life has been taken away. How will his parents feel?"

Another woman, who did not want to be named, said Heron House, where the victim died, was a magnet for troublemakers.

"They are out of control at Heron House. It's not a nice place to pass."

Local resident Samba Koroma, 40, said: "We've got a lot of boys who come here to this estate. They just hang around. They are there every day and every night."

The cleaning manager said he understood from other people on the estate that before the 17-year-old was shot, he ran into Heron House and was knocking on a door at the end of an eighth floor corridor.

Mr Koroma, who also lives on the eighth floor, said: "He ran into the building. He was knocking on that door for somebody to open up but nobody opened the door.

"I don't know whether the boy knew the couple (who live there).

"He ran down the stairs and I think that's when he got shot."

The Pelican Estate has a mini football pitch and basketball court where gangs of youths congregate at night, residents said.

Another neighbour said: "I have lived here for a long time and experienced things like this before.

"It's not so much surprising because of what's happening with lots of young boys hanging around.

"The police and ambulance were everywhere before.

"When we went out they told us to go back inside.

"About four years ago there was a shooting here and someone got stabbed outside my window about 12 months ago."