We have shootings too- mainly in the context of organised crime and drug gangs. There was a case recently where an innocent little white kid (being white makes a difference) got caught in crossfire on his way back from playing football and it was- and still is- an enormous story- but at the moment it's knives they particularly want us to obsess about. Everytime someone young gets killed by someone with a knife it's the headline de jour.

They'll get tired of it eventually and switch to something else. In fact there are already signs that the young people and knives scenario is being overtaken by the young people and alcohol scenario. Oh my God, the little darlings like drinking vodka- who'd have thought it?