The murders of four males in unrelated attacks across London during the New Year period were “truly unusual and extraordinary”, the deputy commissioner for the Metropolitan Police has said.
A 17-year-old boy and two men, aged 18 and 20, attacked on New Year’s Eve, along with a 20-year-old man knifed in the early hours of the following morning, died as a result of their injuries, while a fifth victim is critically ill in hospital.
Six males have been arrested as a result of two of the attacks.
(PA Graphics)
Craig Mackey told the Press Association: “(It is) truly unusual, extraordinary and very tragic and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those affected.
“The reasons behind it are quite complex. There are a number of issues affecting knife crime.
“We are absolutely clear we are doing our part to do the things we can do as the police service… but we need others across London working with us to help tackle those underlying issues around a knife culture that has emerged across London.”
He added: “I’m not here today to ask for or bid for more resources, we’d always like more resources in terms of those things we tackle.
“But it’s clear there are things we can do at the moment collectively that will help around knife crime.”
Scotland Yard said a 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder over the New Year’s Day stabbing at a house party in Islington, north London.
Five males, aged between 17 and 21, have been arrested in connection with the death of the 18-year-old in Enfield, north London.
Sunday’s stabbings – at 11.30am in Larmans Road, Enfield, 7.35pm at Memorial Avenue in West Ham, east London, and 10.40pm in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill, south London – took the number of people stabbed to death in the capital last year to 80, Scotland Yard confirmed. Of those, 18 involved victims under the age of 19.
The New Year’s Day stabbing occurred at a house party in Bartholomew Court, Old Street, Islington.