A seventh suspect has been arrested over the murder of a 17-year-old girl thought to have been caught in the cross-fire of a gang turf war when she was gunned down in a drive-by shooting four years ago.
Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was shot dead from a vehicle while hanging out with friends in Tottenham, north London, in 2018.
The youth worker, who was pronounced dead at the scene after around an hour, is said to have died when shots were fired from a silver Vauxhall Meriva as it drove past a group of young people just before 9.35pm.
Detectives said she had no connection to any gangs and believe she was an innocent victim caught up in a turf war between local gangs. But no one has been charged over the killing so far.
One man was arrested in the aftermath of the murder, while another four men were arrested around a year after the killing before all being released on bail.
But on Thursday, the Met Police announced a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on July 18 and has since been released under investigation.
Ms Melbourne-Blake was pronounced dead at the scene around an hour after she was shot from a Vauxhall Meriva
Forensic officers searched the road in Tottenham where Ms Melbourne-Blake was shot dead. Flowers were laid down at the scene as tribute the 17-year-old
The Browning .756mm gun used in her shootings was found in a plastic bag by a passer-by, along with a knife and a towel beside a bin in Highgate.
And the same gun was used in the murder of Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, in Walthamstow, east London on March 14, 2018 and police believe it had ‘been in circulation’ for a year.
Like Ms Melbourne-Blake, the shooting of Mr Williams-Torres was a case of mistaken identity.
Officers believe the weapon was a ‘gun for hire’ and had been used in four shootings, including the killing of Mr Williams-Torres, before it was passed to another gang and later used in the killing of Ms Melbourne-Blake.
The 17-year-old was shot by this Czech-made Browning .756mm handgun which was also used in the murder of Joseph Williams-Torres, who was killed on March 14, 2018
Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, was shot dead by members of the Mali Boys in a case of mistaken identity. The Met Police believe the firearm that killed both Williams-Torres and Melbourne-Blake was a ‘gun for hire’, rented out by an underworld armourer
A timeline of the weapon used in five shootings and two murders
May 9, 2017: Two shots are fired into Leyton Slots in Hoe Street, E17. Joseph’s killers and a group of other men pursued a rival gang member before fleeing.
They were later convicted of violent disorder and one of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
September 29, 2017: Man, 27, shot at multiple times on Lea Bridge Road in Leyton.
The victim suffered a wound to his leg. Three suspects were arrested but subsequently released with no further action.
December 30, 2017: Man, 39, shot following altercation with a group on Clova Road in Forest Gate.
March 14, 2018: Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, is murdered in Walthamstow, east London
The shootings above were linked to a single gang but, following Joseph’s murder, the gun was then offloaded to another gang.
April 2, 2018: Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, 17, is shot dead in Tottenham, north London.
May 19, 2018: The gun is recovered.
Ms Melbourne-Blake’s mother has said its ‘disgusting’ that young people are able to get their hands on guns so easily.
In January, detectives re-arrested two men who had previously been arrested on suspicion of murder – a 34-year-old man, who was originally arrested in April 2018, and a 32-year-old man, who was originally arrested in February 2020.
Both have been released under investigation along with three other men while police investigations continue into Ms Melbourne Blake’s death, Scotland Yard said.
The other three suspects include an 18-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder in March 2019, and a 26-year-old man, who was arrested in April 2019.
A 22-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder in March 2019, is another re-arrested suspect.
Another man, 50, who was arrested in March 2019, has since been released with no further action to be taken against him.
A spokesman for the force said: ‘Detectives investigating the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne-Blake in 2018 have arrested a seventh person in connection with her murder.
‘Tanesha was shot from a vehicle in Chalgrove Road, N17, shortly before 9:35pm on April 2, 2018 and died at the scene.
‘On 18 July 2022, a 25-year-old man [G] was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was subsequently released under investigation pending further enquiries.
‘In January 2022, detectives re-arrested two men who had previously been arrested on suspicion of Tanesha’s murder.’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11102213/Seventh-suspect-arrested-murder-17-year-old-girl-caught-cross-fire-gang-turf-war.html
