London’s murder rate has capitulated and has overtaken New York City’s numbers for the first time ever, according to a new report.
February marked the first month in history books that London had more murders than the American city with a total of 15 homicides. Out of the 15 killed, nine were aged 30 or younger.
In March, there were 22 murders, which is likely to match if not beat out New York’s numbers.
Last month was particularly tragic, as the murder wave continued on Thursday when a 23-year-old man became the 11th person to be fatally stabbed or gunned down in the capital in just 16 days.
London’s murder rate has overtaken New York City’s numbers for the first time ever. In February, there were 15 murders, including 17-year-old Promise Nkenda (pictured), who was run over and stabbed to death
The murder wave continued on Thursday when a 23-year-old man became the 11th person to be fatally stabbed or gunned down in the capital in just 16 days. Police have launched a murder probe after he was knifed in Greenwich
According to a report by the Sunday Times, New York City’s murder statistics have decreased by 87 per cent since the 1990s.
Meanwhile, London’s rate has grown by nearly 40 per cent in just three years, not including deaths caused by terrorist attacks.
Although New York last year had nearly double the number of murders than London, experts are concerned the gap is steadily closing.
Jacob Whittingham, charity head of programmes for Fight for Peace, told the paper: ‘What’s scary about London is the randomness of the crime.
‘With young people in London, you have no idea if and when you may be the victim of a violent crime — that’s why they feel the need to carry weapons.’
Officials are concerned about the uptick in fatal stabbings, fearing there is a dangerous surge in knife crime.
Last year there was a total of 80 fatal stabbings in the capital – the most in almost a decade.
And official figures show that 2017 was the worst year for knife deaths among young people since at least 2002.
Forty-six people aged 25 or under were stabbed to death in London, up by 21 compared with the previous year, according to police figures.
DCS Sean Yates, Scotland Yard’s head of knife crime, blamed social media as an increasing factor in escalating grudges between youngsters that led to knife attacks.
Lewis Blackman (left) was stabbed to death after a party in Kensington on February 18. Kwabena Nelson, 22, (right) was ambushed outside his home in Tottenham and stabbed to death in early February
He also said courts were failing to enforce a ‘two strikes’ law aimed at jailing those caught with a knife twice, which was frustrating law enforcement.
The sharp rise in the number of young people killed by knife crime in London has come despite Scotland Yard stepping up its use of suppression and enforcement tactics, carrying out more stop and search, more weapon sweeps and other activity on the streets.
The Met commissioner, Cressida Dick, has said reversing rising violent crime is a priority.
Speaking in February she said: ‘The frequency with which some of our young people are prepared to take each other’s lives is shocking.
‘London must come together to make it clear that this cannot continue. We will not police our way out of this problem.’
Aspiring accountant Sadiq Aadam Mohamed, 20, was found with serious stab wounds in Malden Road, in Belsize Park, in February
Cressida Dick continued: ‘There is a role for all of us – London’s public, our partners and the police.’
She appealed directly to young people saying: ‘There will be young people out today who are carrying knives – stop and think.
‘Do you really want your life to end? Or end someone else’s and waste your own life in prison?
‘My challenge to everyone in London is to ask each and every person to think about what you can do to help us tackle this blight on our city.’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan requested an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service to discuss what can be done ‘to tackle the evil of knife attacks on Britain’s streets’.