Mother of teenager shot dead in London says “please let my son be the last”

Pretana Morgan, whose son was killed in London on Saturday, April 5, has made a tearful plea that her son’s killing should be the last fatal shooting.

A wave of violence has been sweeping through London since last year, but it’s gotten worse this year. The latest gun violence, which happened after Morgan’s son was killed, left two other teenage boys in hospital after they were shot in broad daylight in London.

After 17-year-old Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton was shot and killed on Saturday, his mother Pretana Morgan pleaded for the violence to stop.

She said: “Children, please let my son be the last.”

Rhyhiem was shot just after 6pm on Saturday. Paramedics and police were called to reports of gunshots on Cooks Road in Southwark, and found Rhyhiem on nearby Warham Street. The Metropolitan Police said officers had not yet made any arrests in connection with Rhyhiem’s shooting.

Mourning her son, Ms Morgan told reporters she “couldn’t have asked for a better son”. She revealed that Rhyhiem had been an aspiring architect who was “trying to make a difference” by learning to work with children.

“My son was a very handsome boy. He’s got so much potential,” said Ms Morgan.  “My son’s a good boy.”

“Let my son be the last and be an example to everyone,” she added.  “Just let it stop. What must be, must be.”

She added: “It’s not about race, it’s not about nation, it’s not about culture. Nothing. It’s just a human race. “Just one human race. So children, please let my son be the last.”

Following the death, Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: “Enough. Enough. My heart goes out to families grieving children and teenagers. So many shattered lives, families and communities.”

Police have now revealed that extra patrols will be working on bank holiday Monday to keep London streets safe.

Rhyhiem’s death means that police have investigated more than 60 murders in London so far in 2018. In 2017, 116 murders were recorded in London.