London has recorded the fewest murders across June, July and August since 2018, with no one under 25 killed, early figures show.
The provisional figures also show that the number of homicides across all ages has fallen by a quarter compared with the start of September last year, as the city tries to improve its reputation for poor personal safety.
The capital’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, and Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, say the decrease is the result of a sustained effort to crack down on violent crime.
The homicide figures from the mayor's office contrast with those for other offences such as knife crime, which has almost doubled in a decade, mobile phone thefts and Rolex-ripper gangs stealing luxury watches.
Mr Khan’s office said the new figures represent a “significant reduction” and come after London last year recorded the lowest number of homicides of under-25s for 22 years, and the lowest number of teenage homicides since 2012.
So far this year, there have been 10 homicides of under-25s recorded, compared with 26 at the same point last year, while the number of teenage killings has fallen from nine at this point last year to four.
Mr Khan said “the summer months are traditionally a very challenging time of year with young people more at risk of exploitation and violence” but the work of the first Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) in England and Wales, which he set up in 2019, was beginning to have an impact.
“These latest figures show that this work is making a difference, but I’m very clear that one death is one too many and I will continue to do all I can with our partners to tackle violence and its causes, as we build a safer London for everyone,” said the mayor.
The VRU works to divert young people away from crime and includes youth workers, support for families and local communities, and programmes for inside and outside school hours to channel young people away from violence and towards employment.
Its work includes Holiday Hope, a new £6 million ($8 million) programme to provide summer activities and opportunities for young people at greatest risk of exploitation and violence, his office added.
Mr Rowley said the reduction was the result of “the efforts of the thousands of hardworking Met officers and staff”.
The Met Police chief said homicide is at a 10-year low, violent incidents in which people are injured are down by a fifth, which is proportionally lower than any other UK city, and firearms discharges are less than half the level they were seven years ago.
“That’s because we’re proactively targeting dangerous offenders and dismantling organised crime groups, while safeguarding those at risk of exploitation. As a result, less people are being killed and injured and our city is safer,” he said.
“We’re not complacent and we will never stop the fight against serious violence. One senseless death is one too many.”
