This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/6367301.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Friend saw boy before he was shot | Friend saw boy before he was shot |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A friend of murdered teenager Billy Cox has said he saw him a few minutes before he was shot dead. | A friend of murdered teenager Billy Cox has said he saw him a few minutes before he was shot dead. |
| Emanuel Lawson, 22, said he saw the 15-year-old heading towards his house to meet "some girl" on Wednesday. | Emanuel Lawson, 22, said he saw the 15-year-old heading towards his house to meet "some girl" on Wednesday. |
| "I had a little bit of a bad feeling, so I didn't go round to the house," Mr Lawson said. | "I had a little bit of a bad feeling, so I didn't go round to the house," Mr Lawson said. |
| Senior police are meeting Home Secretary John Reid to discuss the spate of shootings which have left three teenagers dead in south London. | |
| Mr Lawson said he had known Billy for "four or five years" as a familiar face on the Fenwick Estate, in Clapham North. | Mr Lawson said he had known Billy for "four or five years" as a familiar face on the Fenwick Estate, in Clapham North. |
| "I saw him a few minutes before he died," he said. | "I saw him a few minutes before he died," he said. |
| "I was heading off to the shop, and I always ask the little kids what they're up to. | "I was heading off to the shop, and I always ask the little kids what they're up to. |
| "He said, he's going to his house, he's going to meet up with some girl. I was in a bit of a rush, I said I would probably pop back and see him later. | "He said, he's going to his house, he's going to meet up with some girl. I was in a bit of a rush, I said I would probably pop back and see him later. |
| Some of these young people have got very little connection to stable community lives Sir Ian Blair 'We knew it would erupt' Cameron urges control | Some of these young people have got very little connection to stable community lives Sir Ian Blair 'We knew it would erupt' Cameron urges control |
| "I had a little bit of a bad feeling, so I didn't go round to the house. Now I'm shocked and upset to hear what's happened." | "I had a little bit of a bad feeling, so I didn't go round to the house. Now I'm shocked and upset to hear what's happened." |
| Billy was the third teenager to die in a spate of shootings in south London in under two weeks. | Billy was the third teenager to die in a spate of shootings in south London in under two weeks. |
| Tributes in the form of flowers and cards, some of them addressed to "Remer" - Billy's graffiti tag name, have been left outside his home. | Tributes in the form of flowers and cards, some of them addressed to "Remer" - Billy's graffiti tag name, have been left outside his home. |
| 'Determined' | 'Determined' |
| Sir Ian has set up a new task force, including armed officers on the streets, after three youths were shot dead in the past two weeks. | Sir Ian has set up a new task force, including armed officers on the streets, after three youths were shot dead in the past two weeks. |
| The Metropolitan Police Commissioner said his force was "determined" to prevent the situation from escalating. | The Metropolitan Police Commissioner said his force was "determined" to prevent the situation from escalating. |
| Sir Ian has already spoken to Mr Reid about lowering the age limit from 21 to 17 for the five-year mandatory sentence for carrying guns. | Sir Ian has already spoken to Mr Reid about lowering the age limit from 21 to 17 for the five-year mandatory sentence for carrying guns. |
| Guns become 'status symbol' Police fight back against guns | Guns become 'status symbol' Police fight back against guns |
| The Home Office is "not unsympathetic" to this view, a spokesman said. | The Home Office is "not unsympathetic" to this view, a spokesman said. |
| Mr Reid will meet Commander Cressida Dick, of the Metropolitan Police's specialist crime directorate. He will also meet MPs to discuss the shootings. | |
| Meanwhile, community leaders, advisory groups and representatives of the London mayor will gather at Scotland Yard. | |
| The new task force will run alongside Operation Trident, which investigates gun crime in London's African-Caribbean community. | The new task force will run alongside Operation Trident, which investigates gun crime in London's African-Caribbean community. |
| Meanwhile a conference is being held on Friday in East Ham, east London, to look at the root cause of gun crime in black and ethnic minority communities. | Meanwhile a conference is being held on Friday in East Ham, east London, to look at the root cause of gun crime in black and ethnic minority communities. |
| Gun crime in London has fallen by 14% in the past year, Sir Ian said, before admitting this was "no comfort to the families involved in the murders". | Gun crime in London has fallen by 14% in the past year, Sir Ian said, before admitting this was "no comfort to the families involved in the murders". |
| Billy Cox was discovered by his 12-year-old sister when she came home from school. | Billy Cox was discovered by his 12-year-old sister when she came home from school. |
| She had returned with a school friend when they heard a bang. Shortly afterwards they found Billy, who had been shot, and died at the scene. | She had returned with a school friend when they heard a bang. Shortly afterwards they found Billy, who had been shot, and died at the scene. |
| Officers said the back door of the house was open and there was no sign of forced entry. | Officers said the back door of the house was open and there was no sign of forced entry. |
| See a map of the shootings | See a map of the shootings |
| On 6 February, Michael Dosunmu, 15, was shot dead in the bedroom of his Peckham home. | On 6 February, Michael Dosunmu, 15, was shot dead in the bedroom of his Peckham home. |
| Three days earlier, 16-year-old James Andre Smartt-Ford died after he was shot at Streatham ice arena. | Three days earlier, 16-year-old James Andre Smartt-Ford died after he was shot at Streatham ice arena. |
| "There was no evidence that all of these crimes are linked," Sir Ian said. | "There was no evidence that all of these crimes are linked," Sir Ian said. |
| But he added: "There are some evidential leads that link some of them. | But he added: "There are some evidential leads that link some of them. |
| "What they are is entirely unacceptable to the communities of London." | "What they are is entirely unacceptable to the communities of London." |
| TEENAGE SHOOTINGS 1. 14 Feb: Billy Cox, 15, shot dead at his home 2. 6 Feb: Michael Dosunmu, 15, shot dead at his home3. 3 Feb: James Andre Smartt-Ford, 16, dies after being shot at the Streatham Ice Arena | TEENAGE SHOOTINGS 1. 14 Feb: Billy Cox, 15, shot dead at his home 2. 6 Feb: Michael Dosunmu, 15, shot dead at his home3. 3 Feb: James Andre Smartt-Ford, 16, dies after being shot at the Streatham Ice Arena |
| Return to link | Return to link |
Have you been affected by gun crime? If you have anything you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below. Your messages will not be published. | Have you been affected by gun crime? If you have anything you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below. Your messages will not be published. |