Tottenham gang 'claims responsibility' for shooting of Tanesha Melbourne in Instagram posts

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Gang members have reportedly boasted about the fatal shooting of teenager Tanesha Melbourne in a series of social media posts.

The 17-year-old was killed in Tottenham, north London, earlier this week.

Her mother arrived at the scene before paramedics and watched as they tried to save her life.

Neighbours and friends described her as “a good girl” and “lovely” member of the community.

A series of posts on Instagram have since boasted about the shooting.

One read: “If your chilling with my ops (opposition) I ain't gonna adjust my aim for you".

Alongside a laughing emoji, was "#NPK #SINSQUAD".

The “NPK” is believed to refer to Northumberland Park in Tottenham, where the gang is thought to be based.

A second message read: “We got him down in Tinseltown and his girl down by Chalgrove [two laughing emojis] #NPK #RNS.”

It is thought this refers to a fight in Farringdon's Tinseltown Diner, where a fight took place before Melbourne’s death.

Scotland Yard told The Independent they were investigating the posts.

Ms Melbourne’s death came amid a flurry of violence in the capital. Just hours after she was shot, another 16-year-old was shot in the face in Walthamstow, north-east London.

Named locally as Amaan Shakoor, the teenager died after being taken to hospital. The two shootings are not believed to be connected.

Eighteen-year-old Israel Ogunsola was also stabbed to death in the borough of Hackney on Wednesday.

A further seven people were injured in stabbings, including a 13-year-old boy who was seriously hurt in an attack in Newham, east London.

The spate of recent attacks has now brought the total number of suspected murders in the capital to more than 50, according to London's Metropolitan Police.

Fatal stabbings in England and Wales are also at their highest levels since 2010/2011.

Tottenham MP David Lammy said violence in the capital was “the worst” he had ever seen.

“There are parents, friends, families, schools traumatised and grieving," he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. "And there is absolutely no sign at the moment of reduction in the violence.

“There is no single cause. What I’m concerned about is what drives the gangs in the turf wars, and that’s an £11bn cocaine drugs market.

“We are the drugs market of Europe and I think the police and our country have lost control of that drugs market. You have children as young as 12, 13, being recruited into gangs to run drugs.”