Brixton shooting: Pelting of police 'abhorrent' - BBC News
Officers were targeted after being called out to investigate the shooting of a man in his 20s.
A crowd of people who threw objects at police investigating the shooting of a man in south London behaved in an "abhorrent manner", the Met has said.

Firearms officers were called by paramedics to Moorland Road in Brixton at about 21:30 BST on Wednesday.

A man in his mid-20s was taken to hospital with "life-changing" knife and gunshot wounds. A boy, 17, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Officers were then approached by people who "pelted" them.

Police have not said what was thrown at them.

Supt Dan Ivey, who is responsible for neighbourhood policing in Lambeth and Southwark, revealed it might have been a murder investigation "but for the speed of the officers who responded, and the skill of medical staff".

"The scenes that followed the initial horrific incident were equally unacceptable," he said. "The officers at the scene were working to conduct an investigation following a serious incident and were dispersing crowds when they themselves were subject to an abhorrent attack from crowds of people who pelted them with items."

Territorial Support Group officers dispersed the crowds and although at least two police officers were assaulted, neither needed hospital treatment.

The injured man's condition is not deemed to be life-threatening.

Ben Fahey, who lives nearby, said there had been "dozens of groups of young people dressed up for a party milling about" earlier in the evening and described the atmosphere as changing from "fun" to "very hostile".

The 36-year-old said: "I got home and started to firstly hear a PA system, then I heard several bangs but thought nothing of it as it's a common noise, then just heard a collective scream, which was quite eerie, like hundreds shouting at the same time.

"I went back outside around 10pm and the police were there in numbers."

A crime scene is in place and a police presence remains in the area.

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