North London rapper Wretch 32 has said he is “lost for words” following the shooting of a 17-year-old girl in Tottenham.
The victim, named locally as Tanesha, was killed in a drive-by attack while she was with friends in Chalgrove Road shortly before 9.30pm on Monday.
Her death – the fifth fatal shooting in London in 2018 – means the Metropolitan Police have now launched 47 murder inquiries this year.
Wish I knew what to say about what’s happening in my ends 🙁North London were better then this man smh R.I.P to the young angel who lost her life last night🌹love & prayers to the family. I’m honestly lost for words 🙁
— FR32🎈 (@Wretch32) April 3, 2018
Wretch 32, who was raised in Tottenham and whose real name is Jermaine Scott Sinclair, tweeted: “Wish I knew what to say about what’s happening in my ends. North London were better than this man smh R.I.P to the young angel who lost her life last night. love & prayers to the family. I’m honestly lost for words.”
Singer Jamelia, who lost her step-brother in a knife attack when both were teenagers, also expressed her shock.
“The senseless loss of young black lives is not a new phenomenon, but it’s prevalence is being heightened as my previous retweet stated because it’s now being ‘promoted’. I have a 17 year old, which means it’s my generation raising the next. The solution needs to be an inside job.
The senseless loss of young black lives is not a new phenomenon, but it’s prevalence is being heightened as my previous retweet stated because it’s now being “promoted”. I have a 17 year old, which means it’s my generation raising the next. The solution needs to be an inside job.
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) April 3, 2018
“At 13 my older brother was stabbed to death, and at 23 my younger brother was sentenced to 18 years for murder. BOTH were victims of their environments. Both instances have had huge collateral damage and both incidents changed the the fabric of our family & friends irrevocably,” she added.
At 13 my older brother was stabbed to death, and at 23 my younger brother was sentenced to 18 years for murder. BOTH were victims of their environments. Both instances have had huge collateral damage and both incidents changed the the fabric of our family & friends irrevocably.
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) April 3, 2018
She continued: “It breaks my heart to know that nothing has changed, and if anything it has gotten worse. People keep saying culture needs to change, yes, it does, not glorifying beef and violence is a no brainer. But we as parents, aunties, uncles, older siblings need to check ourselves too.”
It breaks my heart to know that nothing has changed, and if anything it has gotten worse. People keep saying culture needs to change, yes, it does, not glorifying beef and violence is a no brainer. But we as parents, aunties, uncles, older siblings need to check ourselves too
— #Яebel (@Jamelia) April 3, 2018
TV and radio presenter Snoochie Shy said that communities need to “actually start mentoring young people”.
My thoughts go out to Tanesha, the 17 year old who’s lost her life last night. My heart goes out to her family who have now lost their little girl.
— snoochie shy (@snoochieshy) April 3, 2018
Her first tweet said: “My thoughts go out to Tanesha, the 17 year old who’s lost her life last night. My heart goes out to her family who have now lost their little girl.”
We as a community need to actually start mentoring young people. It’s not enough to tweet why’s and how’s, it’s about actively speaking to the kids.
— snoochie shy (@snoochieshy) April 3, 2018
She then commented: “We as a community need to actually start mentoring young people. It’s not enough to tweet why’s and how’s, it’s about actively speaking to the kids.”