Police Declare Emergency As London Murder Rates Triple

The number of murders in London has tripled in the last eight months, as stabbings and shootings soar to record-high levels. 

Police launched the latest in an ever-rising number of murder probes this week after 72-year-old Carole Harrison was found dead in her house in south west London.

Dailymail.co.uk reports: With the death toll reaching 100 before September begins, 2018 is on course to see a higher number of homicides than the 116 recorded in 2017.

The investigation into Mrs Harrison’s death is the sixth murder inquiry launched in London in a week and the tenth this month.

In what has become an all too familiar sight for Londoners, her home in Teddington was taped off this morning, as forensics experts scoured the scene for evidence.

Neighbours said they heard an ‘explosion’ before seeing a firefighter carry Mrs Harrisons’s body out and one of her sons arrive at the scene.

Neighbour Flo Osmond, 75, said of Mrs Harrison: ‘She got this habit of inviting people in that she didn’t know, she really did not know what she was doing. There was somebody cycling around outside on the day at lunch time.

‘She had three sons, two daughters. She was a grandmother.We all really cared for her. ‘

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Leonard said: ‘Police were called just after 1am on Wednesday August 22nd to a fire at an address on Mays Road in Teddington. Officers attended along with paramedics and London Fire Brigade.

‘A 73-year-old woman was found dead inside the address. Her next of kin have been informed.

‘Although formal identification awaits, police are confident the victim is Carole Harrison who lived at the address.

‘A post-mortem examination was held at Kingston Mortuary on Thursday in which a cause of death has not yet been established and awaits further tests.

‘However, she was found to have injuries consistent with an assault.’

DCI Leonard added: ‘At this stage we are appealing to anyone who saw the Mrs Harrison on the day leading up to the fire.

‘In particular we want to hear from anyone who may have seen her out and about and most particularly if she had anyone with her. Anyone with information should call police immediately.’

Levels of violence in the capital have soared this year, with gang stabbings and shootings seeing the murder rate raise above that of New York in February.

Another murder inquiry was launched after 43-year-old Kaltoun Saleh was badly burnt in a fire at a flat in Finsbury Park, north London, on July 5th and died at a specialist burns hospital on Tuesday.

Four children were taken to hospital as a precaution following the blaze at Noll House on Corker Walk, but they were not seriously injured.

Abdi Quule, 42, was found at the scene and also treated for burns at hospital. After treatment, and was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

He was charged with attempted murder on Saturday August 4th and appeared in custody at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on the same day.

He was remanded in custody to appear on at the Old Bailey next week.

Simonne Kerr, 31, a nurse who starred as part of a the B Positive choir who reached the final of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, was stabbed to death at an address in Battersea, south London, on Wednesday August 15th.

Ex soldier Desmond Sylva, 40, has been charged with her murder.

Joseph Cullimore, 42, died after being repeatedly stabbed at a house in Chingford in the early hours of Friday August 17th. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with his murder.

Gary Amer, 63, a plumber, was found with multiple knife wounds at an address off the Old Kent Road in south east Londonon the afternoon of Friday August 17th. William Treadwell, 67, has been charged with his murder.

Leroy ‘Junior’ Edwards, 66, was found with multiple stab wound at an address in Catford, south east London, in the early hours of Saturday August 18th.. A 29-year-old Essex woman has been charged with his murder.