Gun crime rise in London
Join Together Online
21 December 2001
A report from Scotland Yard shows that gun crime in London, England, has increased by nearly 90 percent, This is London reported Dec. 19.
According to the report, gun murders in London increased by 87 percent in the first eight months of 2001 compared with the same period last year. In addition, armed robberies increased 53 percent, from 435 during the first eight months of 2000 to 667 this year.
Officials attributed the increase to organized crime and drug trafficking. Commander Alan Brown, head of the Operation Trident taskforce against "black on black" gun crime, said the increase in gun crime was "an extremely worrying development."
"The level of violence is increasing, there is no doubt about that," he said. "We have seen shootings in the West End. This is not just happening in Hackney or Brent, this is a problem for all of London."
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