Media under fire following fatal shooting.

Sections of the British media came under fire following the fatal shooting of teenage gun victim Sammy Adelagun in Plaistow who died at 3.20am this morning.

A murder investigation was launched following the death of teenage victim Sammy Adelagun from Plaistow London. Police and LAS were called in connection with an altercation between youths in waste ground near Plaistow Underground Station where they found teenager Sammy Adelagun who was later pronounced dead at the scene.  One other person reportedly sustained a serious injury although they’re not believed to be life threatening.

It is believed that four youngsters were chased on-to waste ground where they received their injuries. A local resident tried to help the injured teenagers but one youngster Sammy was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been informed.

Local people were keen to talk to FLYER but reacted to what they felt was ‘Intrusive methods of investigative journalism’ by other media.

“We’ve been feuding for several years with a rival gang.” said a friend of the murdered teen. “Ever since the death of Steven Lewis last year we’ve been at war. It’s just a way of life I don’t know if it’s good or bad, it’s just how it is.” In a stark warning he continued: “This killing doesn’t make it equal, it just makes it worse…”

Public backlash.

Throughout the day local residents voiced their objection to what they felt was a mass media intrusion. In the second heated exchange between the media and the public a group of teenage girls who’d gathered to pay their respects confronted a reporter from a daily tabloid newspaper.

“Right now I’m going to tell you how it is, the boy that died, you’re only interested in getting the picture right, the angle right, the headline right, the byline right, you know, whatever right bruv… you’re just selling a newspaper.”

“I’m sorry I’m just trying to paint a nice piece” said the reporter.

“You don’t understand it’s not a nice piece, a young boy has died…you’re going to label us. I don’t need to know about your nice pieces, I already know he was a nice guy, I know what the headlines will be, ‘Young Black Youth, Green Bandanna, Gun Crime.” We don’t care about your nice pieces…

“The worse thing is that some of these reporters have no empathy with people like us, they are paid to shove random pictures in our face hoping that we will help identify the victim when we are still in shock, its not right, its not fair.

“What we need is to feel part of society, we are stigmatised, many of us are from broken homes and become disaffected but that doesn’t make us bad. It is not about role models we need to be included to help us empower ourselves to make decisions for ourselves. My brother could have gone bad but he didn’t. I’m lucky my parents are together but for some people they struggle. Their families try and make ends meet by working every hour that God gives but in some cases their children are left to survive by themselves.”  

(Transcript recorded by FLYER News)

Mark Weir from FLYER said: “Today’s events were a timely reminder to reporters including us that we have to show real empathy with the public and to the families of the deceased. Covering crimes, it’s easy to become detached from the issues especially when you’re under pressure from newspaper editors but to walk away with a clear conscience at the end of the day in knowing that you’ve done your job professionally should be of the uppermost importance.”