Four teenagers have been arrested after reports of shots being fired and a spate of stabbings in Croydon which left three boys hospitalised.
The “shocking violent incidents” unfolded across three separate locations on Monday evening, Metropolitan Police said.
Officers were first called to a report of a stabbing on Elmwood Road just after 4pm on Monday.
A teenager, aged 18, was found with a stab injury and taken to hospital where he remains in a critical but stable condition.
Two other men, both 18, were arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and remain in custody.
Around an hour later, at 5.25pm, the Met and London Ambulance Service responded to reports of a large group of teenagers fighting in nearby Church Street.
Several paramedics, a helicopter and ambulance crews were sent to the scene.
Two boys, aged 13, were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Both their conditions were assessed as non life-threatening.
Two boys, aged 13 and 14, were arrested, the first on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and affray, and the second on suspicion of affray. They also remain in hospital.
In total, three patients were treated and taken to a major trauma centre in an ambulance on Monday evening.
At 9.51pm emegency services rushed to Cudham Drive, in Croydon, following reports that a group of people armed with weapons were damaging a car.
Further calls were made with reports that a man had been stabbed and shots fired.
On arrival a man was found with a minor cut to his hand and officers found no evidence of a firearms discharge. No arrests have been made in relation to the incident.
A section 60 order was put in place in Croydon until 6am on Tuesday, Croydon Police said. The order allows a police officer to stop and search a person without suspicion.
Superintendent Mitch Carr said: “Croydon residents will rightly be concerned at this spate of unacceptable and shocking violent incidents. We of course share that concern and are doing everything we can to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators.
“A number of people remain in police custody. At this stage in our enquires there is no information to suggest any link between them. They are all being treated as isolated incidents.
“We do not and will not tolerate violence on our streets. Local people can expect to see an enhanced policing presence across the borough, and anyone who has information that could assist us with these investigations is encouraged to report it immediately.”
Anyone with information can call 101 or tweet@MetCC with the refence CAD 4785/20MAR (Elmwood), CAD 5376/20 Mar (Church Street) or CAD 7521/20 Mar (Cudham Drive).
