Shooting in London's Hackney leaves woman dead

Two other people were shot and injured in the shooting, a rarity in Britain. They were taken to hospital and their status was not immediately clear.

A 42-year-old woman was fatally shot in east London on Tuesday evening in a rare fatal shooting. , authorities said.

Police found three people with gunshot wounds. The woman, whose name has not been released, died at the scene. A 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy were taken to hospital, where their conditions are being assessed, Metropolitan Police said in a news release.

The shooting happened in the Hackney area around 6:30 p.m. local hour. No arrests have been made.

Shootings and guns are much less common in British cities than in the United States. There were only nine gun homicides in London in 2022. In comparison, in Houston, a city with less than a quarter of London's population, there were 401 gun homicides in 2021, according to an FBI analysis. data from gun control group Everytown.

Firearms are strictly regulated in the UK. Residents must obtain a permit from the police if they wish to possess a firearm. Certain types of weapons are completely prohibited. For example, Parliament finally banned handguns after the 1996 Dunblane massacre, a deadly school shooting that killed 16 schoolchildren and a teacher.

The investigation is still in its “early stages.” ", Detective Superintendent Vicky Tunstall of Hackney Local Policing Team said in a statement.

“I do not underestimate the impact that this incident will have on the residents of Hackney. and I understand that the community will want answers about what happened tonight. We will share more information as our investigation progresses," she said.

"Gun crimes have no place in the streets of London and we will do everything we can to stop anyone. is responsible for this despicable crime before the courts.