Gang murder in Oxford Street

The 22-year-old victim was named this afternoon as Steven Bigby who was with two friends when they clashed with four other men.

The murder took place after a row between the men escalated. It apparently began after Mr Bigby threw a glass of water over one of the suspects.

Shoppers fled in the crowded street near Oxford Circus as the rival groups hurled drinks and fought on the pavement at 4.45pm yesterday. One witness said Mr Bigby was first stabbed and then had his throat slit.

The four men were seen running towards Oxford Circus Tube station. They are described as black and aged 20 to 30. One was wearing a red T-shirt, another a white T-shirt, a third was described as being of muscular build and wearing a vest top and the fourth was wearing dark clothing.

Mr Bigby, from north London, was known to police. Detectives say the picture is still confused but they are investigating whether the two groups of men knew each other.

Senior police officers met in emergency session at Scotland Yard today to discuss the latest wave of gang and knife attacks. In separate incidents two 18-year-olds were stabbed in Peckham last night. One was critically ill in hospital this morning. A senior officer said: "The issue is how can we let this continue. These attacks are happening now almost on a daily basis."

After the Oxford Street attack a bloodstained four-inch knife was found dropped in the street outside a book shop 50 yards away. It was the sixth fatal stabbing in London since Boris Johnson came to power less than two weeks ago pledging a "zero tolerance" approach to gang and knife crime.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Bob Mahoney appealed for any witnesses who saw the men running away and anyone who might have taken photographs of the attack. He said: "These men went back to their homes last night and may have been covered in blood. We need people to come forward with information about their identities."

Detectives were today examining footage from CCTV cameras which is believed to have caught the murder on film. Oxford Street was sealed off yesterday while paramedics tried to save the victim. A worker at the HMV music store, which is opposite McDonald's, said: "I heard that first they stabbed him and then lunged back at him and slashed his throat. I can't believe someone would do this in broad daylight. It could have happened to any one of us. It could have happened to me. It's crazy." Joe Hill-Wilson, 26, said: "He stumbled into the road. There were lots of paramedics around him giving him CPR, and hundreds of people watching." Another witness said: "So many people were around I can't believe those guys thought they could get away with stabbing someone.

"You just don't expect something like this to happen in Oxford Street." One womansaid a member of the public had tried to help the dying man. She said: "There was a woman with him with her hands covered in blood. She was trying to help him."

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.