Judging the mood in Peckham

Some locals in Peckham, south London, said they did not feel safe

A new taskforce has been set up to tackle a spate of fatal shootings in south London blamed on teenage gangs.

Residents of Peckham - where 15-year-old Michael Dosunmu was killed at his home in Diamond Street on 6 February - talked to the BBC about their run-ins with gangs in the area.

None were prepared to be named.

Several people, however, said they had no such experiences. And local police maintain that crime has actually been falling in Peckham with only a small minority of individuals involved in these type of offences.

Male resident, 24

"Whatever you hear about is quite true. There are some kids who are really not concerned with how other people feel.

"They have no conscience. They think they can just do whatever they like. They bully guys and they carry dangerous weapons.

"I don't know why they do that. Some of them are frustrated; they have nothing better; some of them out of boredom.

"The way society is kind of plays a part. There is no real tough penalty for such guys - we just let them off.

"I was robbed by a couple of guys - they threatened to bring out weapons and things towards me. They took my phone. I heard one guy say he was going to get a gun - but I disappeared from the scene.

"I have not actually seen people with guns but knives are all around."

Female resident, 24

"The last couple of years this area has gone downhill. You see the witness appeal signs for severe shootings. You can tell who the people in gangs are. You cross the road if you see them. I've never seen anyone with a gun but believe they are carried.

"I have seen people with knives. I've been mugged by someone with a knife. Teenagers are going round thinking 'everybody else has a knife, I need one too'.

"It's not that they are going round to do damage. I think most are carrying to protect themselves from other people who have them.

"I have seen boys running because a gang has been chasing them. A few years ago people use to stick up for each other. Now people don't want to get involved. If anything happens they just keep on walking."

Female resident, 30

"This generally happens more at night. I saw someone pull out a gun in KFC in Peckham because someone banged a table as they passed. Everybody ran into the toilet including a pregnant woman and a woman with a child.

"The toilets just filled up with people scared the gun was going to go off.

"The police were there within minutes. Round here if anything happens the police do turn up pretty quickly.

"The problem is no-one gets punished adequately (when they first commit crimes). They carry on and when they get older it gets worse."

Female resident, 27

"It's not just this area but it's more evident here.

"A lot of people stereotype the type of people involved but it's difficult not to because they tend to have the same sort of appearance and wear the same sort of clothing.

"I have seen someone pull out a knife but I have never seen anyone with a gun. But I do know they are there.

"I think it has just escalated over a period of time. People are not trying to be the kingpin or top dog or anything like that. But there are just no rules and regulations anymore.

"Kids get away with it and they just feel they have the rule of the roost and can do pretty much what they want. Some of the kids - you just look at them in the wrong way or breathe on them and they use it as an excuse to do something.

"It's more about image, attitude and maybe even attention.

"The government needs to start putting more money into things like play centres and clubs for kids to go to."

Female resident, 27

"I've been a victim of two burglaries. I've never been affected by gang or gun crime but you can see all the billboards out here about it. It makes me scared to know it's happening so close.

"You do see hoodies or boys walking up and down all around in gangs. I get some hanging out at the bottom of my stairs late at night smoking cannabis. As a single mother I make sure I lock my doors. I don't go outside.

"I would not dare to confront them as I would not know whether they have a knife or anything on them.

"I've never seen anyone with a knife or a gun. I think some of them carry [one] just for the fun of it and some of them are carrying [one] so if by chance they see a vulnerable victim they can take advantage.

"There's a lot of uneducated youth out there and they need something to go into - some apprenticeship.

"They have to offer them something to get off the street."