London murder rate overtakes New York's - Breaking News!
A spike in violent crime in London saw more murders committed in the city in February and March than there were in New York, figures show.So far in 2018, 46 people in London have been fatally stabbed, shot or injured compared to 50 in the US city.But, while New York's rate month-on-month has decreased since January, London's is on the rise.Ex-Met Police Ch Supt Leroy Logan says it is proof that "London's violent traits have become a virus".Statistics from the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Metropolitan Police, reported in the Sunday Times and obtained by the BBC, highlight narrowing murder rates between the two cities which have similar population sizes.
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City Hall says it is "deeply concerned" by knife crime in the capital, but, along with the Met Police, insists London "remains one of the safest in the world".
- In January, the Met investigated eight murders whereas the NYPD looked into 18 killings
- By February, the NYPD's figures had dropped to 11, while London's rose to 15
- In March, 22 murders were investigated in London while 21 inquiries were launched in New York
The Met said it was "concerned at the increase in murders in London"."One murder is one too many, and we are working hard with our partners to understand the increase and what we can all do to prevent these tragedies from happening in the first place," a spokesman said.However, it is a murder rate that has left Mr Logan feeling "absolutely devastated".
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