Rumours of a shooting on Kingsland Rd within last hour. Traffic closed off between Dalston Jct and Englefield Rd and buses diverted.

I live on Buckingham Road and the police had closed it and all the roads surrounding Kingsgate Estate. No one allowed in or out, so I couldn't get home. They said there was some gang activity and we would be allowed to return home after the police dogs were finished sniffing around the area.

After a couple of pints at the Wellington with a neighbour they still wouldn't let us through. we decided to try the police on the other end of the block, but on the way around we found the Tottenham Road entrance to Kingsgate Estate was unguarded. We walked through the estate and exited the other side...which was guarded by the police. Now that's what I call tight security!

Seems like a 25 year old man was shot and two teenagers have been arrested.

It will stop when the police start getting serious about crime in the area. It will happen as more money moves in, but we just have to wait it out. In the meantime, remember to duck and cover!

dfg

They say two teenagers have been arrested and are being questioned in connection.  @ brooklyn_mike, what do you mean about more money moving into the area?

tinyurl.com/y8ndbj9

@HannahHackney - that's interesting. I was told about a massive power void in the Turkish gangs after one of the big cheeses got shot. Apparentley, the younger members of the gangs are all scrabbling around, trying to increase their influence.

This Guardian article from earlier this week provides some background to this and how the police are tackling/ignoring it. tinyurl.com/y8kojdv

'blip' my ****.

Money, as in people who are willing to pay higher rents and gentrify the area. If you are going to attract more people to vitalize a neighbourhood you'll need to show you're doing something about violent crime. No one wants to live where they are surrounded by gang activity. Guess we were wrong to think that being slightly southwest of Dalston was "safer"!

@bluemonkey it has a lot to do with money. Poor areas mean more gangs, drug dealing, etc. Wealthy areas mean more police initiatives, better kept roads, cleaner streets, all to satisfy those who pay higher taxes. It's not a new concept!

As long as there is profit to be made selling drugs and a degree of protection to be had by being part of a gang, there will be gang-related violence.

Eradication of poverty, decent drug rehabilitation and a realistic alternative to gang culture are the only ways that this violence will end. Gangs are just one symptom of a much bigger problem.