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New research into unsolved homicides in London has found that Black people were disproportionately represented among victims whose killers have not been brought to justice, with young Black men and firearm cases accounting for a particularly large share of unresolved killings between 2019 and 2023.
An analysis by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) found that people from minority ethnic backgrounds accounted for 61% of homicide victims across the period examined, while people of colour were connected to 92.9% of the capital’s unsolved murder cases. Black people represented 40% of all homicide victims but 73% of cases that remained unsolved.
The findings raise concerns about unequal experiences of violent crime and the continuing difficulty of securing witness cooperation in communities where confidence in policing remains comparatively low.
AOAV’s analysis found that Black victims accounted for 83.7% of unsolved shootings in London between 2019 and 2023, representing 36 victims. They also accounted for 73.5% of unsolved stabbing cases, or 39 victims.
The figures do not establish that race itself determines whether a homicide is solved. Instead, they highlight a pronounced disparity in the circumstances surrounding victims, offenders, witnesses and investigations.
The Metropolitan Police Service has attributed part of the disparity to lower levels of trust in policing among some Black communities. Commander Paul Brogden, the Met’s head of homicide, said serious violence disproportionately affects certain communities, particularly young Black men, who have among the lowest levels of trust in policing.
That lack of confidence can have direct consequences for investigations, particularly where detectives depend on witnesses who may be reluctant to provide information.
Brogden said investigators use CCTV, forensic evidence and other investigative methods, but witness testimony can remain critical in identifying suspects and securing convictions.
The research also highlights a significant difference between shootings and other forms of homicide.
Between 2019 and 2023, London recorded an average of 124.6 homicides each year. Stabbings accounted for 65.3% of killings, while shootings represented 8.7%.
Yet of the 41 murders from that period that remained unsolved, shootings accounted for 38% — more than four times their proportion of all homicides.
Detectives say firearm cases can present particular investigative challenges. DCI Alex Gammampila, a senior Scotland Yard homicide detective, said shootings can involve greater planning and preparation than spontaneous knife attacks, potentially making it harder for investigators to identify those responsible.
The nature of gun crime can also mean that witnesses, victims and suspects are connected through complex relationships, while fear of reprisals may discourage people from approaching police.
The age profile of victims also changes significantly when solved and unsolved cases are compared.
The average homicide victim in London is approximately 36 years old. For unresolved cases, however, the average age falls to about 28.
Iain Overton of Action on Armed Violence said the organisation’s data indicated that London’s unsolved murders were not evenly distributed, but were concentrated among young Black men and cases involving firearms.
He warned that when communities experiencing the highest levels of deadly violence also see fewer perpetrators brought to justice, the consequences can extend beyond individual investigations.
For families who lose relatives to unsolved killings, the absence of an arrest or conviction can leave years of uncertainty. At community level, prolonged unresolved cases can further undermine confidence in the criminal justice system.
The findings come against a backdrop of a broader decline in homicide in London.
The Metropolitan Police recorded 97 homicides in the capital in 2025, compared with 153 in 2019. The figure was the lowest recorded in London for more than a decade.
The Met also maintains a high homicide clearance rate, with around nine in 10 killings ultimately resulting in a suspect being brought to justice.
However, the AOAV research shows that overall clearance figures can conceal significant differences between types of homicide and the communities most affected.
Across the wider period from 2015 to 2024, the study identified 110 unsolved homicides out of 1,222 killings, equivalent to about 9%.
For Daily Dazzling Dawn, the findings underline a central challenge facing London’s homicide investigators: reducing violent crime is only part of the task. Ensuring that victims from communities most affected by violence have equal access to justice also depends on building trust, protecting witnesses and encouraging people with crucial information to come forward.
The Metropolitan Police has said improving relationships with communities affected by serious violence remains an important part of its approach. For the families of unresolved homicide victims, however, the ultimate measure will remain whether those responsible are identified, prosecuted and held accountable.
