A man is fighting for his life after being found stabbed just 700 metres from a Brixton 'barbecue party' where four people had been shot only an hour earlier.
Timeline of Violence
Metropolitan Police officers were called at 1:14 am on Saturday to reports of shots fired from a vehicle in Coldharbour Lane, Brixton. At 2:17 am, they responded to a stabbing in nearby Acre Lane.
Shooting Victims
Four people were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds following the Coldharbour Lane incident. A 25-year-old man remains in a life-threatening condition. Three other victims, aged 21, 47, and 70, were hospitalised with injuries assessed as not life-threatening or life-changing.
Stabbing Incident
Some 700 metres away in Acre Lane, a 33-year-old man was found with multiple stab wounds. He was taken to hospital where he remains in a life-threatening condition.
No arrests have been made yet in connection with either event. Officers are investigating the possibility that the two incidents are linked, the Met said.
Police Response
Police and specialist crime officers arrived on the scene within four minutes of the initial 1:14 am call, providing emergency first aid alongside paramedics. A police cordon was established on Acre Lane. Several police officers were later seen searching an area of grass outside the Southwyck House estate on Coldharbour Lane on Saturday evening.
Investigators in blue overalls, masks, and gloves were seen inspecting debris, including a bicycle, a foil blanket, and bags, strewn across the road.
Witness Accounts
Footage posted online, appearing to depict the shooting, showed a man receiving CPR on the pavement near the Coldharbour Lane Open Space, while another man in a yellow hat was treated by paramedics on a nearby bench.
Detective Chief Inspector Allam Bhangoo, leading the investigation, described the shooting as an 'act of indiscriminate violence.'
An estate resident said he believed the incident took place during a barbecue party on the patch of green. A shop worker told of providing shelter to people in the wake of gunshots.
Moh John, 45, who works at supermarket Payless Food & Wine outside Southwyck House estate, told the Press Association: 'I was putting something there and I heard the noises. It was busy, there was a party. I saw the people run away. But then I saw the people, some people try to come in the shop and I locked the door.'
Mr John confirmed that police have already collected his shop's CCTV footage to assist with the investigation. He said those rushing inside the supermarket were 'scared', adding he kept the front door locked for 'some time' before reopening it.
Robert, 40, who did not want to give his surname, said he did not see the incident but told PA: 'I think it happened at the barbecue. It was packed. I usually feel safe around here, people know each other and get on. There's been a few stabbings, and one day one gun was caught, but I don't think anyone's ever been shot like this.'
Community Reassurance
The Met has announced an increased police presence in Brixton over the coming days to reassure a community shaken by the violence.
Anyone with information or footage is urged to contact police or Crimestoppers quoting reference CAD 557/2May for the Coldharbour Lane shooting and CAD 907/2May for the Acre Lane stabbing.
