London teenager shot dead after row in suspected gang killing

A police officer stands near a scene-of-crime tent after a 19-year-old man died after he was found injured in Bounces Road, Edmonton, following reports of shots being fired, Scotland Yard said (John Stillwell/PA Wire)

A teenager was shot dead after an argument between two groups of youths in an area at the centre of gangland disputes, it emerged yesterday.

Mohammed Hussein, 19, died in the street after he was shot in the chest after witnesses reported hearing an argument an hour earlier. The area in north London is one of the boroughs identified by the Home Office as having a high level of gang tensions.

Scotland Yard said it was too early to speculate whether it was a gang-related killing but witnesses reported a loud dispute in the area followed by gunshots an hour later.

Mr Hussein was found having collapsed in Edmonton, north London, on Monday evening and, despite attempts by paramedics to revive him, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A resident, who did not want to be named, said: “Earlier, a group of guys chased after the victim, who was in a car with a mate, and smashed a window. He came back later and that’s when the shooting happened. He was with three of his friends and I think they ran off when he was shot.”

The area in Edmonton – dubbed Shanktown because of high levels of knife crime – has seen a number of attacks in recent years amid disputes between rival gangs.

Four people are due to go on trial next week charged with the murder of 15-year-old Negus McLean, who was killed in April 2011 in a road close to where Mr Hussein was shot on Monday. Scenes of crime officers were at the scene yesterday examining bullet cases and other evidence in the road.

Jordan Simbananiye, 18, said: “At first I thought it was a firework, but then, when I looked out of the window and saw all the police and paramedics, I realised someone had been shot.

“They spent about 20 or 30 minutes trying to resuscitate him but after about half an hour they put a blanket over him. Blood was just pouring out of him – it was shocking.”