There was one shooting death and three other incidents in the week the Met hailed its success (Image: NCA)
A MAN died from gunshot injuries and police appealed for information about three other shootings last week, as the Met Police hailed its success at tackling gun crime.
The force revealed details on a team of specialist detectives who it said is leading the fight against illegal firearms to prevent devastating and fatal consequences.
A Met spokesman said: “Reaffirming their efforts to protect Londoners and ensure firearms have no place in the capital, officers are dismantling serious and organised crime groups who pose the greatest harm.”
Yet, in the week the force gave details of several operations to the media, a man who was shot on June 12 sadly died in hospital on June 12, prompting a murder probe.
Police were called at around 2:10am on Sunday, June 9, to a shooting in Templeman Road, Ealing, west London.
Officers attended along with London Ambulance Service and found Sebastiaan James-Kraan, aged 20, with life-threatening gunshot injuries. He was taken to hospital, but sadly died on Wednesday.
His next of kin have been informed and a post-mortem examination will take place this week.
Homicide detectives are now leading the investigation and specialist forensic work has been carried out at the scene.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said: “At this early stage in the investigation, we believe the victim was involved in an altercation with a group of men, resulting in the victim being shot once.
“I would like to speak to any witnesses who heard or saw anything in the Templeman Road area at around 2am on Sunday, June 9.”
Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, in charge of policing in the Ealing area, said: “I know that a death caused by gun crime will cause considerable concern in the local community. My thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim and my officers are doing everything to support the murder investigation.”
A statement from Sebastiaan’s family said: “Sebastiaan James-Kraan was cruelly taken away from his family at such a young age.
Sebastiaan James-Kraan (Image: Met Police)
A statement from Sebastiaan’s family said: “Sebastiaan James-Kraan was cruelly taken away from his family at such a young age.
“He was a kind, loving, gentle man with a beautiful soul who will be greatly missed by his loving family and many friends. A gentle giant with a heart of pure gold.
“Please now respect our privacy to allow us to cope with our grief.”
No arrests have been made.
Detectives also appealed for witnesses after a suspected firearms discharge in Lambeth.
Police were called at 12:18am on Thursday, June 13 to reports of a firearms discharge in the High Trees Estate in Tulse Hill, south-west London.
Officers responded. There were no reports of any injured persons.
Detectives want to speak to anyone who saw a black VW ID.5 in the area around that time, or who noticed anyone acting suspiciously.
Detective Inspector, Martin Thomas from the team leading the investigation, said: “All reports of this kind are taken incredibly seriously and are investigated thoroughly.
“I am asking anyone who was in the area and heard or saw shots fired to contact us immediately. I also want to ask local residents to check their doorbell and dash cam footage to see if they might have caught something that can help us.”
Police were also called at about 1:07pm on Friday, June 14 to reports of a firearm discharge in the vicinity of Lakedale Road, Plumstead, south-east London.
Officers, including armed officers, attended the scene. No victims have been identified.
Initial enquiries led to the recovery of a vehicle that had sustained damage as a result of a firearm discharge.
One man aged in his 20s has been arrested in connection with the incident. He was recalled to prison.
Detectives are still appealing for witnesses after a man was shot in Woolwich, south London.
Police were called at approximately 10:35pm on Monday, June 10, to reports of a firearms discharge outside Granby House on Ogilby Street.
Officers attended, alongside armed officers, but a victim could not be located. Police were subsequently informed that a man in his 20s had attended a hospital suffering a gunshot injury. He remains in hospital in a serious condition, having sustained life changing injuries.
Detective Constable Nick Fletcher of Specialist Crime Trident, who is leading the investigation, said: “The victim of this shooting remains seriously ill and we are doing everything we can to find the person or people responsible for this attack.
“Anyone who witnessed this incident, or who has information that could assist police, is asked to get in contact immediately. If you do not feel confident speaking to a police officer, you can speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers.
“Finding those who carry and use firearms is one of our top priorities in order to protect our communities from serious violence and harm.”
Despite these incidents, the Met said it has achieved a record low in firearms offences in the last fifteen years across London, but still around a half of cases go unsolved.
Last year alone, 386 illegal firearms were seized across the capital – more than one a day, it said.
Around 46 per cent of these had been converted blank firers.
These are often shipped in from Turkey and converted in makeshift workshops.
And though firearms offences in London have hit a 15-year low, authorities have admitted almost half of all cases still go unsolved.
The spokesman added: “The Met has also achieved the highest detection rate of people responsible for shootings in the last 11 years, with one in two (52 per cent) criminals being prosecuted.
“Since March 2023 there has been a reduction from 196 firearms offences to 145. There has also been a sustained reduction in firearm related murders in the last three years – from 12 murders in 2021/22, to ten in 2022/23, and eight murders in 2023/24.
“There is no place for firearms on the streets of London and every single death or injury is a tragedy, leaving victims and their families with life changing effects. While progress has been positive, there are still firearms offences taking place.
“Specialist officers continue to use data, forensics and technology to locate illegal firearms and arrest the criminals responsible. “Officers investigate criminals with a previous history of carrying a firearm and their associates, as well as working closely with communities to gain new intelligence, conduct searches of properties where there may be suspected firearms and employ covert tactics, such as surveillance.
“Tenacious Met officers have been hugely impactful leading to a series of targeted operations in specific areas.”
The force said that across Harrow, Brent and Barnet, the work of officers has meant there has not been a single firearms-related murder since 2020, compared to previous years when there was at least one fatal shooting per year between 2014 and 2020. Additionally, since 2020, 80 offenders have been charged with various firearm offences, 64 of these have so far been convicted resulting in a total of 367 years in jail.
In South East London, specialist officers have driven down firearms offences in Lambeth and Southwark by 44 per cent – from 45 offences in 2022/23 to 25 in 2023/24.
Between 21 May and 6 June a total of 51 suspects were arrested across Westminster as part of a successful operation targeting gangs and organised crime. The operation, run in partnership with Westminster Council led to the seizure of 17 firearms, 17kg of drugs and more than £150,000 in criminal assets were also seized as part of efforts to make Westminster and the surrounding boroughs safer for local communities.
Met Commander Paul Brogden, who is responsible for specialist crime, said: “Guns destroy lives and communities. The recent shootings in parts of London are a sad reminder that there is still work for us to do when it comes to cracking down on illegal firearms. My thoughts are with those affected.
“The Met’s sustained work on firearms shows our commitment to making London a safer place. We will continue to build trust in the communities disproportionately impacted by these offences and remain relentless in our pursuit of criminals that use and supply firearms.
“Our progress should serve as a message to criminals and gang members using firearms – we will come after you, and we will bring you to justice.”
So far, no arrests have been made after a nine-year-old was was left fighting for her life after she was shot while she ate dinner with her parents in a Hackney Turkish restaurant.
Three men were also injured after being shot in what police believe was a gang war between rival Turkish crime gangs.
The force has appealed to members of the local Turkish and Kurdish communities to come forward.
Jackie Taylor, mother of Tyrese Miller (Image: Met Police)
Tyrese Miller, 22, was shot dead in case of mistaken identity on April 4 2023 when he was on his way home from an evening at the pub with friends in Croydon.
One man has since been convicted for manslaughter and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life after admitting to shooting Tyrese. Two men were convicted for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Tyrese’s mother, Jackie Taylor has spent the last year supporting her family who have been deeply affected by the tragic death of Tyrese.
His mother, Jackie Taylor, said: “I worry that if this can happen to Tyrese, it can happen to anyone.
“Once you met Tyrese, you never forgot him. He was loved. He was the centre of our family. He had friends everywhere. Sometimes it was easier to say who he didn’t know. For someone that lived such a short life, he meant an incredible amount to so many of us.
“No mother should have to bury their son like I have. What happened to Tyrese has changed all of us. None of us will ever really come to terms with what has happened.”
Danny Butler, 44, from Lambeth, was last year sentenced to 18 years in prison after firearms were discovered by officers at the family home where he lived with his wife and three children – including an 18-month-old.
Danny Butler and guns found in the underwear drawer (Image: Met Police)
Officers found six guns, ammunition and Class A and Class B drugs in multiple locations including the children’s underwear drawer and their parents’ wardrobe. Three handguns, one of which was loaded, were among the weapons discovered in his children’s clothes drawer, and another handgun and pump action sawn off shotgun was found in the wardrobe, along with a large amount of ammunition. A second sawn off shotgun was found in the coat cupboard. Further searches by officers found Class B drugs lying on the floor of the living room easily accessible to the couple’s three daughters including their toddler. Class A drugs were also being kept inside the TV unit and coat cupboard.
Officers alerted Lambeth social services immediately due to the safeguarding risk presenting the children.
On June 7 this year, Linden Thomas, 24 was sentenced to six years imprisonment after he was found to be in possession of a converted firearm and a knife following a proactive stop and search. Improvised ammunition was later discovered at Linden’s home address in Hackney.
Tyrese Miller, 22, was shot dead in case of mistaken identity on April 4 2023 when he was on his way home from an evening at the pub with friends in Croydon.
One man has since been convicted for manslaughter and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life after admitting to shooting Tyrese. Two men were convicted for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Tyrese’s mother, Jackie Taylor has spent the last year supporting her family who have been deeply affected by the tragic death of Tyrese.
His mother, Jackie Taylor, said: “I worry that if this can happen to Tyrese, it can happen to anyone.
“Once you met Tyrese, you never forgot him. He was loved. He was the centre of our family. He had friends everywhere. Sometimes it was easier to say who he didn’t know. For someone that lived such a short life, he meant an incredible amount to so many of us.
“No mother should have to bury their son like I have. What happened to Tyrese has changed all of us. None of us will ever really come to terms with what has happened.”
Last year
Recent results Danny Butler, 44, from Lambeth, was last year sentenced to 18 years in prison after firearms were discovered by officers at the family home where he lived with his wife and three children – including an 18-month-old.