London sees rise in teen killings

LONDON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- British authorities said they expect a record number of teenage killings in London this year at the same time as the overall rate of homicides is dropping.

With three months remaining in 2008, the teenage death toll in London is 26, the same number recorded during all of 2007, The Times of London reported Monday.

The latest victim was Oliver Kingonzila, 19, a semi-professional soccer player who was captain of the English Colleges FA team against Italy. Police say Kingonzila was stabbed during a fight outside a nightclub early Saturday. Friends told The Times he was a victim of an unprovoked attack.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair labeled the number of teen deaths last year "completely unacceptable."

At the same time as teen killings are on the rise, the number of homicides in London has fallen from 222 in 2003 to 160 last year.

There are signs the London's teenage gang culture is spreading to other parts of the county, the newspaper says.