Boy, 16, becomes latest teen shooting death as London's murder toll rises

A 16-year-old boy has become the second teenager to die after being shot on the same night in London, police said.

The youth, who was shot in the face in Walthamstow, east London, on Monday night, died in hospital on Tuesday, Scotland Yard said.

His death came after that of Tanesha Melbourne, 17, who was gunned down around 30 minutes earlier just three miles away in Tottenham on Monday - apparently a tragic casualty of a gang war.

The boy's death took the capital's murder toll for the year so far to 48 in little over three months.

Officers were called to Markhouse Road in Walthamstow at around 10pm on Monday to reports that shots had been fired.

Scotland Yard said a 16-year-old boy who was found with gunshot injuries, died in hospital surrounded by his family on Tuesday afternoon.

Acting Chief Superintendent Tania Coulson said: "Yesterday was a shocking night for all of us in Waltham Forest which left two young men suffering terrible injuries; one of whom has now died.

"We are doing all we can to address community concerns.

"Over the past 24 hours we have had extra officers patrolling the streets, additional police cars on the road and specialist officers from our Operation Sceptre unit carrying out a range of intelligence led operations and patrols.

"I would like to reassure members of this community that this strong police presence will continue."

Ms Coulson said Section 60, an intelligence led pre-authorised power to stop and search, has been in place since Monday and will be until at least the early hours of Wednesday.

"My officers have been on the streets using this power really effectively, seizing knives, stopping cars of young men carrying weapons and making arrests," she added.

Scotland Yard said no arrests have been made and inquiries are continuing into the incident in Walthamstow, revealing that the homicide and major crime command are investigating alongside the Trident area crime command.

A 15-year-old boy, also discovered at the scene in Walthamstow, was treated for stab injuries which are no longer life-changing and he was subsequently been released from hospital, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Glenn Butler from the Trident and area crime command said he fully appreciates the "alarm, shock and revulsion" caused by the Walthamstow murder and other fatal shootings.

Tanesha was shot in Chalgrove Road, Tottenham, north London, shortly before 9.30pm on Monday.

Her mother, who watched her daughter's life slip away, laid flowers at the scene on Tuesday, with a card reading: "To my baby Nesha. I'm gonna miss you so much, you're always gonna be with me everywhere I go."

It was signed "Love Mummy".

Schoolfriend Candice Hassan, 17, said Tanesha was "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

"Everyone knows Tanesha, she's just a humble girl. It was just the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't deserve any of that."

Tanesha's aunt, who did not give her name, said: "We're going to stop the shooting, we're going to stop these stabbings.

"It's not good enough. We're going to bring this whole area to a standstill. My niece has gone now and my sister's in turmoil. It's terrible."