Two men have died while a third remains in a critical state following a shooting in Ilford, East London.

Armed police were called to Henley Road, Ilford at around 12:15 am on Tuesday after reports were made of a fight and gunshots being fired.Upon arrival, police found three men with gunshot wounds. A man in his 20s was pronounced dead at the scene, with the second victim passing away shortly afterwards.The third victim, a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital and currently remains in critical condition. The police potentially know the identity of the victim in his 20s, however, are still working to confirm the identity of the other man who died at the scene.Roads in the surrounding area remain closed as the police continue to investigate the scene of the crime. No arrests have been made thus far in the ongoing investigation.

The rise of gun crime in the UK

Police forcesin England and Wales have seen a rise in gun crime in 2022.Home Office data has found one police force reported gun crime rates being 6 times higher than a decade ago. Although firearms offences have declined by 14% over the last decade, 29 out of 43 police forces are now seeing an increase in gun crime.Recent reports of gun crime include the death of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was fatally shot when a masked gunman entered her home.