Young mother one of two victims killed less than a mile apart in north London

The mother of a six-year-old boy was one of two victims murdered in separate killings less than a mile apart in north London.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police murder squad are investigating the deaths, the first of which took place in Belmont Street, Camden.

A woman aged in her early 20s, named locally as Shakira, was stabbed at around 11.15pm on Sunday, and despite treatment from paramedics was pronounced dead at the scene just before midnight.

A trail of blood could be seen on the ground near the scene of her death on Monday.

Terry Ellis, from the Camden Against Violence, said the stabbing victim regularly attended the group's events.

"She's a mother, she's got a six-year-old kid," he said. "As far as I know it was an argument she wasn't really involved in.

"She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't gang-related, it wasn't drug-related.

"She was a wonderful young lady, always happy. She's got a lovely son and was just a normal mother."

Mr Ellis said the family of the young mother have been left "devastated" by the killing.

"She's just a normal mum," he added.

Two other women suffered slash wounds. Scotland Yard said a 35-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Friends of the victim left floral tributes at the scene on Monday.

One, who gave her name as Ronney, 21, described her as a "really, really good mum", who "adored" her son.

"She was part of everyone's life, she helped everyone," she said. "She was part of my family. She was lovely."

The woman, who said she used to live with the victim, said she was not involved in an argument that broke out, but was sticking up for someone else.

"I don't know why people feel the need to carry knives. People just don't think before they do things," she added.

The second killing saw a man in his 20s shot dead around half a mile away in Malden Road, Kentish Town, just before midnight.

An air ambulance was sent to the scene but the victim was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

There is no link between the two north London deaths.

The violence came after Camden Against Violence ran a series of community events over the weekend.

"We woke up this morning and it's been marred by two tragic deaths. Our hearts go out to the families. We are still in shock," he said.

The man who died in Kentish Town was the second person to die of gunshot wounds in the capital in less than 12 hours.

At 3.45pm on Sunday, firearms officers were summoned after shots were heard in Sydenham Road, south-east London.

The victim, who was in his 20s, died at the scene at 3.50pm, police said.

Witnesses in the area told the PA news agency that they had heard reports the man had accidentally shot himself.