the brixton riot of 1985 started on 28 september in lambeth in south london. it was the second major riot that the area had witnessed in the space of four years, the last in 1981. it was sparked by the shooting of dorothy "cherry" groce by the metropolitan police, while they sought her 21-year-old son michael groce in relation to a suspected firearms offence; they believed michael groce was hiding in his mother's home.