This was the harrowing scene on London’s streets yesterday as a grief-stricken mother scrubbed her own son’s blood off the pavement after he became one of four people murdered in a wave of gun and knife violence across Britain this weekend.
Pretana Morgan, whose son Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton died after being shot in Southwark on Saturday, brought a bucket of disinfectant to the scene of his murder to clean up in a final act of motherly love.
A weekend of violence in the capital kicked off when Rhyhiem, 17, was fatally gunned down in Southwark, less than a day before two boys, aged 13 and 15, were shot in Harrow.
The aspiring architect’s murder was also followed by the stabbing deaths of men in Liverpool, Luton and Macclesfield, Cheshire, on Sunday.
Pretana Morgan, whose 17-year-old son Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton was shot dead in south London on Saturday, returned to the scene yesterday to scrub his blood from the pavement
A weekend of violence in the capital kicked off when Rhyhiem (pictured) was fatally gunned down in Southwark
Paramedics and police were called to reports of gunshots on Cooks Road in Kennington, south London, on Saturday at just after 6pm.
Rhyhiem was found on nearby Warham Street with a gunshot injury.
The 17-year-old rapper had ‘so much potential’, his mother said as she tearfully told of her ‘handsome boy.’
Ms Morgan called for a stop to the violence.
Violence incidents were recorded across the UK through the Bank Holiday weekend
Speaking at the scene of the crime on Sunday, she said: ‘Let my son be the last and be an example to everyone. Just let it stop. What must be, must be.’
Ms Morgan said her son was not in a gang and he had been ‘trying to make a difference’ by learning to work with children.
The following day, an innocent boy of 13 was accidentally shot in the head as he walked through Wealdstone, northwest London, with his parents.
Rhyhiem’s mother, Pretana Morgan (pictured), has called for a stop to the violence
The boy was the youngest victim of the wave of gun, knife and acid attacks across Britain over a bloody Bank Holiday weekend.
The teenager was an innocent bystander who had been walking down the street with his parents in Harrow, north west London, when he was hit by shotgun pellets.
He was caught in the crossfire when a 15-year-old was attacked at around 1.15pm on Sunday in High Street, Wealdstone.
Scotland Yard said the older boy was found to have suffered head injuries, caused by a number of shotgun pellets.
Police were alerted to the second boy injured nearby minutes after the 13-year-old boy.
Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Rose, Harrow borough commander, said: ‘It would appear that the first victim was approached by two male suspects, one in possession of a shotgun – and shots were fired, injuring him and an entirely innocent member of the public.
‘This was a callous, reckless and brazen act, without any thought by those responsible for the fact that there were families with children and people in the High Street enjoying their weekend. This was quite simply appalling.’
A 13-year-old boy who survived being accidentally shot in the head is the youngest person caught in a wave of attacks across Britain over a bloody Bank Holiday weekend
A 13-year-old boy who survived being accidentally shot in the head is the youngest person caught in a wave of attacks across Britain over a bloody Bank Holiday weekend. Pictured, officers at the scene in Harrow
Both teenagers suffered non-life threatening injuries, and the younger one has been released from hospital.
Officers have also been made aware of a possible third victim who may have been at the scene with the 15-year-old boy.
It is thought he sustained an arm injury, but he left prior to the arrival of the emergency services.
A 39-year-old man arrested on the evening of May 6 in connection with the incident has been released under investigation.
Extra police officers, supported by armed units, are patrolling the streets of London in a bid to combat the violence.
The capital’s violence kicked off when Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton (pictured) was fatally gunned down in Southwark, less than a day before the Harrow shootings
Rhyhiem was the 62nd victim to be killed in the capital this year after London’s murder rate overtook New York’s in February and March
Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton was found with fatal gunshot wounds in Warham Street Southwark at 6.05pm on Saturday
Police have said extra patrols will be working on Bank Holiday Monday to keep the capital’s streets safe.
Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Messinger said: ‘The violence used has rightly caused concern and we are doing all we can to address this.
‘Over the bank holiday weekend, additional officers are on the streets across the capital, working hard to keep London safe.
‘They are using highly visible local patrols supported by armed response, traffic motorcycles, dog units and air support, alongside plain clothes intelligence-led operations.
‘Violence has no place on our streets.’
Rhyhiem’s death is the latest in a spate of violent crimes in the capital, as police investigate more than 60 alleged murders so far this year.
Official statistics released in April showed the number of homicides in London had surged by 44% in the last year.
Mr Messinger said officers were using search powers to seize knives and to stop weapons being carried in cars.
Three men, aged 17, 22, and 27, were injured in a suspected acid attack as they left a gay bar in Dalston, east London.
Police are investigating if the victims suffered life-changing injuries after a ‘noxious substance’ was hurled at them in Shacklewell Lane in Hackney in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The assault followed an altercation between two groups in east London at around 5.20am.
The violence continued in the capital when a 43-year-old was stabbed in Perivale, north-west London, on Sunday night after a dispute about driving.
Police said the man was attacked on Buckingham Avenue at around 9pm after a number of residents questioned a man in a blue car about the nature of his driving in the small residential street.
Then, just before 6.30pm on Sunday, police were flagged down by a member of the public in New Cross Road, south east London, where a 22-year-old man was suffering from gunshot wounds.
The injured man was taken by ambulance to a central London hospital where his condition is not life-threatening, Scotland Yard said.
Elsewhere, three men died in stabbings in Liverpool, Luton and Macclesfield during the bank holiday weekend.
A 22-year-old man was shot in New Cross in south London (pictured) on Monday evening
Officers responded to reports of a stabbing in Leystonstone Road in east London at around 4.40pm on Monday. Pictured, the scene after the stabbing
The victim, who is believed to be 17, was taken to an east London hospital. His condition was initially deemed critical, but is now thought to be not life-threatening
Fatah Warsame, 20, from Cardiff, died after being stabbed in Liverpool city centre early on Sunday morning.
Another victim, also aged 20, was killed in Bishopscote Road in Luton that evening.
Also on Sunday night, a 37-year-old man was stabbed to death in Macclesfield. A 15-year-old boy and a 29-year-old man have been arrested.
On Monday, armed police were locked in a standoff with a gunman in Oxford following a dramatic shootout.
Shots were fired from a residential property in Paradise Square and armed response officers returned fire.
Armed officers descended on a residential property in Oxford city centre after witnesses reported hearing up to five gunshots
On Monday, armed police were locked in a standoff with a gunman in Oxford following a dramatic shootout
Armed officers descended on the property at around 1.15pm after witnesses reported hearing up to five gunshots.
More than eight hours later, a siege remained underway with officers continuing to negotiate with the gunman.
Meanwhile, in Clayton, East Manchester, a teenager was taken to hospital after being shot in front of friends at a Bank Holiday street barbecue.
He was rushed to hospital after being blasted in the leg at 2.45pm.
Police said he was being treated for a ‘serious’ injury but his condition is not thought to be life-threatening.
It is understood the victim, who is in his late teens, was with a group of friends drinking and eating on a patch of grass outside a house on Vale Street when a gunman opened fire.
Police said it was unclear whether the shooter was on foot or in a car at the time.
In Clayton, East Manchester (pictured), police said a man was taken to hospital after being shot at 2.45pm on Monday. His condition was not known
Also on Monday, officers responded to reports of a stabbing in Leystonstone Road in east London at around 4.40pm.
The victim, who is believed to be 17, was taken to an east London hospital.
His condition was initially deemed critical, but is now thought to be not life-threatening.
Detectives from Newham CID are investigating. No arrests have been made.
Just ten minutes after that incident, police were called to a shooting in John Williams Close in New Cross, south London.
A 30-year-old man was treated at the scene before being taken to a south London hospital.
His condition is not believed to be life-threatening. No arrests have been made.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline it is believed the victim may have been working as a food delivery driver when the incident occurred.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he was determined to tackle the spate of violence that was ‘robbing too many young people of their futures’.