Lambeth police tackling 'rise in serious violence' following second Brixton shooting this month

'We are aware of a recent rise in serious violence in the borough and have been working to provide an effective policing response'

A police officer looks onto Brixton High Street (Getty )

Extra-armed officers are being deployed across Lambeth as police say they are facing a “rise in serious violence” in the borough.

The news comes after a 23-year-old man was shot in the back and legs in Max Roach Park in Brixton at 2:40pm on Friday.

Emergency services, including London’s Air Ambulance and Met firearms officers, were called to the scene. The man was taken to hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

He is the third reported victim of a shooting in the south London borough this month. On 12 May a man in his 20s and a teenage boy were critically injured in a gun attack in Marcella Road, Brixton.

The teenager has been discharged from hospital, but the older man remains in a stable condition, the Evening Standard reports.

Chief Inspector Roy Smith from Lambeth Borough said additional armed officers and dedicated foot patrols were being deployed in and around the area.

Sergeant Fash Mohammadi, a Duty Sergeant for Local Safer Neighbourhoods Teams, said officers were out on reassurance patrols on Saturday morning following Friday’s shooting.

Chief Inspector Smith said: "We are aware of a recent rise in serious violence in the borough and have been working with the local community to provide an effective policing response.

“This includes additional armed officers provided as part of Op Viper and dedicated (non-armed) foot patrols in and around the area.

“We continue to meet with community members who I know are doing everything they can to support us in preventing further young people being put at risk by this mindless violence."

Nick Mason, chair of the Lambeth Safer Neighbourhood Board, said: "We are committed to working with the police, local communities and partners to stop these incidents from occurring.

“The solution prevention, partnership and continued effective engagement. The local police have our full support."

Lambeth is one of six London boroughs being targeted by armed police patrols as part of Operation Viper, aiming to tackle a recent spike in the number of shootings in London.

Hackney, Southwark, Brent, Newham and Tower Hamlets have also been identified as shooting hotspots.

There were 226 shootings in London in 2015 and 122 this year, with an increase since March.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, said: "Firearm use is thankfully still rare in London and rarely affects those not involved in crime - but I am very concerned about the recent increase and we are determined to stop it.”