A Black Lives Matter activist who has called for racists to be treated in the same way as sex offenders is fighting for her life after being shot in London over the weekend.
Sasha Johnson, 27, was shot in Peckham, south London, around 3am on Sunday, 23 May.
A spokesperson for her Taking The Initiative Party, which was set up as Britain’s first “black-led political party” said the shooting followed “numerous death threats as a result of her activism."
But the Metropolitan Police said: "While the investigation is at an early stage, there is nothing to suggest that the woman who was shot was the subject of a targeted attack or that she had received any credible threats against her prior to this incident."
Miss Johnson is in a “critical condition” in a south London hospital.
Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command (Trident) - which was originally set up to investigate black-on-black crime in London - are said to be “pursuing a number of priority lines of enquiry.”
The shooting took place outside a house where a party was taking place.
Detective Chief Inspector Jimi Tele said: “This was a shocking incident that has left a young woman with very serious injuries. A dedicated team of detectives is working tirelessly to identify the person or persons responsible for this shooting. They are making good progress but they need the public’s help.”
DCI Tele added: "I recognise that this incident will have shocked those in the local community and further afield. I would ask people to avoid speculating as to the motive or the circumstances behind it."
But on social media there is no end of speculation about the motivation for the shooting, with many Black Lives Matter supporters believing she was targeted for her outspoken views.
The shooting took place in Peckham, a deprived part of south London which is rife with gangs.
They include the Peckham Boys and their arch-rivals the GAS (Guns and Shanks) gang.