Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley has insisted London’s streets are “safer” after no teenagers were murdered across the school summer holidays.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark and the city’s mayor Sir Sadiq Khan hailed the force’s proactive approach to tackling serious violence for having a direct impact on homicides and violence.
More specialist teams are disrupting organised crime groups exploiting youngsters to get them involved in drug dealing and county lines. Hundreds of arrests have been made and weapons seized.
The claims of a safer London come despite data from the Office for National Statistics suggesting the capital accounted for nearly a third of all knife crime nationwide with 16,344 offences recorded in the 12 months to March.
City Hall said provisional figures show that there were no killings of under-25s in London across July and August, the lowest for 22 years.
Four teenagers have been murdered in 2025 so far, compared to nine at the same point last year – a year when 11 died in total. Last year saw the fewest number of teenage killings since 2012 when eight died across the whole 12 months. This year’s statistics put the Met on target for at least a 13-year low in youth murders.
Fourteen-year-old Kelyan Bokassa was fatally stabbed by two 16-year-old boys with machetes on a bus in Woolwich in January.
Lathaniel Burrell, 16, was shot in the chest by a moped gunman dressed as a Just Eat rider in Stockwell on March 4.
In April, Keiron Charles, 17, was stabbed in Shepherd’s Bush and 18-year-old Keanu Harker shot in Enfield on June 26.
Homicide figures last year were at a 10-year low. A snapshot of murders up to the start of this month show they are at a 22-year low for this point in the year.
Of all sexes and ages, there have been just 58 killings since January compared to 78 in the same eight-month period of 2024, a 25.6 per cent reduction. The highest was 149 in 2003.
But this only tells part of 2025’s story, as 20 domestic-related murders is a 54 per cent rise on the 12 by August 25 last year, according to seperate Met figures.
The mayor’s office said on average Londoners are less likely to be injured in an act of violence than in the rest of England and Wales.
Sir Mark added: “Thanks to the efforts of the thousands of hardworking Met officers and staff, our sustained crackdown on violent crime is working.
“Homicide is at a 10-year low, violent incidents in which people are injured are down by a fifth – proportionally lower than any other UK city – and firearms discharges are less than half the level they were seven years ago.
“That’s because we’re proactively targeting dangerous offenders and dismantling organised crime groups, while safeguarding those at risk of exploitation.
“As a result, less people are being killed and injured and our city is safer.
“We’re not complacent and we will never stop the fight against serious violence. One senseless death is one too many.”
Sir Sadiq said he had invested a record £1.16 billion in the Met and there was a focus on tackling the root causes of violence by funding youth provision.
London’s Violence Reduction Unit has provided more than 450,000 positive opportunities for young people, which coincided with a 40 per cent reduction in hospital admissions of under-25s for knife assault and a 16 per cent fall in robbery offences. A new £6 million programme provided holiday activities for those at greatest risk of exploitation and violence, Sir Sadiq’s office said.
The mayor added: “Nothing is more important to me than keeping Londoners safe and it is encouraging that we have had the fewest number of homicides in London across June, July and August in years, with no under-25 homicides during the school summer holiday period.
“The summer months are traditionally a very challenging time of year with young people more at risk of exploitation and violence, but through London’s Violence Reduction Unit and the Met Police we’ve been working incredibly hard with partners across the capital to provide support and help.
“These latest figures show that this work is making a difference, but I’m very clear that one death is one too many and I will continue to do all I can with our partners to tackle violence and its causes, as we build a safer London for everyone.”
However, London Assembly Tory leader Susan Hall said: “A fall in deaths of London’s young people must always be welcomed, but it is shocking that this is something for the Mayor to celebrate whilst knife crime continues to rise and whilst he oversees the loss of up to 1,700 officers.
“The only way to reduce knife crime across the board is to properly fund our police service.
“The Mayor continues to refuse to do this despite having over £21bn to spend in his budget, and as a result many more will continue to pay the price.”
Patrick Green, CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust, said: “This is encouraging news, and it highlights the vital role the Violence Reduction Unit plays in reducing knife crime.
“The Mayor and his VRU’s focus on prevention and early intervention has been key to strengthening the vital work of frontline organisations.
“This data is a powerful sign that their long-term strategy is working, and we are proud to be a partner in making London safer.”
Sam Bosede, director of operations at Wickers and Rise Up East, a member of the VRU’s MyEnds programme in east London, said: “Summer programmes for young people in Hackney have made a powerful, positive impact in our communities. By engaging young people early, these initiatives are proving that prevention works.
“With more safe, structured and inspiring opportunities available, we’ve seen a real shift. Incidents of violence, including stabbings and shootings, have decreased during the summer months.
“These programmes provide not just activities, but real pathways to growth, confidence and connection, giving young people the tools and support they need to thrive. This is what community safety and empowerment in action looks like and young people are at the forefront of delivering the services.”
