Two dead and boy, 14, fighting for life after 12 hours of terrifying violence across London

Violence: A 29-year-old man died after he was knifed in the chest in a “fight taking place between two groups” in Hounslow
Karim Sumar
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A boy aged 14 was fighting for life in hospital today after he was shot in the head during 12 hours of terrifying violence across London.

The schoolboy was blasted with a shotgun in east London and is said to critically ill in hospital today while his 17-year-old friend was seriously injured.

The shooting follows a series of tit-for-tat stabbings and shootings in Newham and police immediately ordered sweeping stop and search powers to come into force amid fears of a retaliation.

In separate incidents two men were stabbed to death in street attacks in Camden and Hounslow while three others suffered knife wounds in a clash in Southall.

The carnage began at 11.45am when a 20-year-old man was stabbed in the neck near Euston station.

Emergency services at the scene in Hounslow
Karim Sumar

The man collapsed and died at the scene at the entrance of the Ampthill Estate in Camden with witnesses saying he had been chased by attackers on bikes.

In a second stabbing incident at 3.30pm a 29-year-old man died after he was knifed in the chest in a “fight taking place between two groups” in Hounslow.

Emergency services were called to clashes in Rosebery Road, less around 500 metres from Twickenham rugby stadium, and found the victim stabbed in the street. He also died at the scene.

Later, just after 11pm, three men in their 20s were injured with knives after a disturbance in Comer Crescent, Southall.

Fatal stabbing: The man collapsed and died at the scene in Camden 
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The schoolboy had been sitting talking with friends in a car park on an estate in Forest Gate when a gunman opened fire from close range.

The boy was struck in the head with pellets from the blast while a 17-year-old suffered what police described as a “life changing” injury to his leg.

Doctors from a nearby GP surgery rushed outside to help the victims after the shooting at just after 3pm .

A local shop worker said his friend had been sitting with the younger victim, close to a playground, in Moore Walk, when the gunman opened fire.

The man, who did not want to be named, said: “They were just sitting there talking, and then this guy just came from behind and shot him.

“Fourteen-years-old, what can you do to get shot in the head with a shotgun?”

A nearby resident said: “The shooting was outside the playground. I heard the noise from my house – pow, pow, it was twice. I looked outside my window and I couldn’t see anything, but then I heard people screaming and I went outside.

“The boy couldn’t talk, he was just laying down breathing hard. I didn’t want to look at him because I saw too much blood. They said he came up behind him and shot him.

“The other guy was talking, he had managed to run but got shot in his leg. They live here, they’re local. They’re always playing around here. They’re very young, they’re kids.”

The shooting happened to the rear of Lord Lister Health Centre, where workers, medical staff and doctors rushed to assist the victims.

A receptionist, one of the first on the scene, said: “There was a boy lying on the ground who had been shot in the leg. There was another boy not far away shot in the head.

“Everything happened so quickly. “

Maqsood Khaliq, 36, who owns Seafood Supermarket which back onto the scene, said: “I walked around the corner to see a young boy laying on the floor with what was clearly a gunshot wound to his leg.

“He was lying separately from the other boy, they weren’t lying together but the one who I saw had blood all over his jumper, it was covered. Both of them were young black boys.”

He said the boy shot in the head had been sitting on a bike before the incident.

Detectives are investigating possible links to a series of tit-for-tat gang attacks in Newham in recent months.

Newham police commander Chief Superintendent Ade Adelekan ordered sweeping stop and search powers in the borough saying he had “serious concerns” that rivals could retaliate in response to the shooting.

He said: “We are only too well aware that this incident comes after a number of shootings and firearms discharges that are blighting our communities and seriously injuring our young men.

“I want the community of Newham to help us tackle this - if you have any information about people carrying or supplying firearms please let us know and we will take action.”

There were extra police patrols and enhanced stop and search powers in place across Newham last night as the borough braced for a possible revenge attack.

A bloodied grey tracksuit and a black trainer lay on the floor as forensic officers scoured the cordoned off walkway following the double shooting.

The caretaker of Lord Lister Health Centre, which backs onto Moore Walk, described how medical staff at the surgery had rushed to the victims aid after hearing the shots.

Cobi Akosome, 53, said: “The doctors went out to try to help. I saw them after they were shot on the floor. The younger boy was breathing, the doctors were trying to give him oxygen.

“He was 14, and they shot him in the head. My god. Imagine being at home and hearing your son has been shot. It’s very sad.”

Any witnesses or anyone with any information should call police on 101 or make contact via Twitter @MetCC.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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