A 14-year-old boy has been fatally shot in broad daylight in south-east London, with three people now in custody on suspicion of murder as the Metropolitan Police (Met Police) pursues a formal murder investigation.
Officers were called to reports of a shooting at approximately 15:40hrs on Thursday, April 2, on Lord Warwick Street in Woolwich. Despite the efforts of paramedics, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
Two boys, aged 14 and 16, and an 18-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of murder. The Met Police had initially referred to the victim as a man in an earlier press release but confirmed on Friday that he was in fact a 14-year-old boy.
The shooting occurred on a residential street less than 500 metres from the Woolwich Ferry and close to Woolwich Dockyard train station. An increased police presence remains in the area.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who is leading the investigation, said the thoughts of the force remain with the boy’s family and loved ones. She stated that three arrests had already been made and that the investigation was continuing at pace, while urging anyone with relevant information, closed-circuit television footage, or dashcam recordings to come forward.
The killing is the second fatal shooting in London in less than a week. Nahom Medhanie, 26, was shot dead while sitting in a car near Euston station in central London on Saturday night.
Metropolitan Police figures show there were 97 murders in London last year, down 11 percent from 109 in 2024, marking the lowest homicide count in the capital since 2014. Thursday’s shooting has nonetheless renewed public concern about youth violence in the city.
