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Tottenham shooting: Man, 30, arrested over girl's death

PA TaneshaPA
Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was found with gun shot wounds in Tottenham on Monday night

A man has been arrested over the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old girl in north London.

Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was shot dead near Northumberland Park in Tottenham at about 21:35 BST on Monday as she walked with friends.

Police believe she died when "shots were fired" from a vehicle as it drove past a group of young people.

A 30-year-old man was arrested at an address in Hackney, east London, on suspicion of murder on Friday morning.

The Metropolitan Police said it was "keeping an open mind" about the motive for the attack as it appeals for witnesses.

Det Insp Beverley Kofi said: "We are appealing to anybody who witnessed the incident and has not yet come forward, or who in the hours since this shocking murder are privy to information that could help us find those responsible.

Brother pays tribute to 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne who was shot dead in Tottenham

"You may be fearful of repercussions of speaking to police, or have loyalties that you believe can't be compromised.

"We are dealing with the fatal shooting of a teenage girl, and would implore you to do the right thing and come forward."

Paramedics treated Tanesha for over an hour but she died at the scene.

Just 30 minutes later on the same day, 16-year-old Amaan Shakoor was shot and killed in Walthamstow. Police say the shootings are not linked.

Since then, there have been three more deaths from violent acts in London.

So far this year the Met Police have launched 55 murder investigations in London.

PA Police cordon on Chalgrove RoadPA
Tanesha Melbourne-Blake is the ninth teenager to be killed in London this year

Hakeem Blake, Tanesha's brother, said his sister was shot because she was in the "wrong place at the wrong time".

Tanesha's friend Tyesha, 21, told the BBC she was "just chilling with her friends" when she was shot.

"The car just pulled up and just started shooting," she said.

'Rising violence'

Following the shooting David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham, said he was "deeply worried" about London's rise in violent crime - particularly in his area.

He said cuts to police budgets meant fewer neighbourhood officers on the streets who were "able to pick up intelligence" within communities.

A group of 47 MPs have written a letter accusing Prime Minister Theresa May and Home Secretary Amber Rudd of being "absent while violent crime surges" across the country.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is amongst those calling on the prime minster and home secretary to meet London Mayor Sadiq Khan to discuss plans to tackle "rising levels of violence".