Tottenham cemetery shooting: Man shot dead in London graveyard

Manhunt for killer after 22-year-old victim dies at scene of shooting in Tottenham

The man was shot in Tottenham Cemetery on 3 September (Google Streetview)

A man has been shot dead inside a London cemetery, sparking a manhunt for the killer.

Police were called to Tottenham Cemetery shortly before 8am on Monday and found the 22-year-old victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

The London Air Ambulance and paramedics attended but he as pronounced dead at the scene.

Detective Inspector Simon Stancombe, of the Metropolitan Police, said: “At this early stage of the investigation we are keeping an open mind to the motive of this attack. I urge anyone who may have seen anything to contact police as soon as possible.”

No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

The man has not yet been formally identified but his family have been informed of his death, police said.

More than 90 people have been killed in London so far in 2018, amid a nationwide rise in violent crime.

Several killings have taken place in the Tottenham area, including the stabbing of 22-year-old youth worker Kwabena Nelson in February, shooting of 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne in April and murder of 35-year-old Edmond Jonuzi in June.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said violence was starting to "stabilise" in July following a spate of street shootings and stabbings earlier in the year.

The bloodshed saw London's homicide rate briefly overtake New York's, before the US city rose again.

The most recent nationwide figures show murder, robbery and stabbings increasing sharply in England and Wales.

In the year to March, the number of homicides recorded by police rose by 12 per cent, knife crime offences were up by 16 per cent and robbery rocketed by 30 per cent.

A total of more than 40,000 knife offences was the highest number since 2010-11.

At the same time, the number of police officers hit a record low, amid claims funding cuts have driven up violent crime and "encouraged" offenders.

Almost half of all criminal investigations have been closed with no suspect identified, and the proportion ending with someone being charged or summonsed to court fell to just 9 per cent.

Police are calling for the government to increase funding to forces, as well as to preventative services like social workers and youth mental health.

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 0208 358 0300, contact police via @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.