London gun crimes rises faster than the Met has admitted

Scotland Yard has admitted a 17% rise in overall firearms offences, but figures released this week show a near 100% increase over last year.

Metropolitan police chief, Sir Paul Stephenson, has admitted to an estimated 17% rise in gun crime in the last year - but figures presented this week to the Metropolitan Police Authority show that the number of actual shootings has almost doubled from 123 to 236 in the last six months compared with the same period last year - a rise of 91.8%. Serious firearms offences have risen by 47% across the capital. Those working at local level in the capital say the number of incidents reported is only a fraction of what is taking place.

Much of the growth seems to be accounted for by young teenagers involved in "respect shootings" to settle petty disputes with little thought of the consequences. Such shootings involve, for example, a gunshot to the leg - pointing a gun at the shin or knee is a deliberate tactic to avoid any chance the victim will die, risking a 30-year mandatory sentence.

Read the rest of this article from The Guardian here