Teenager is knifed to death at site of Olympics party

London's Olympic celebrations were marred yesterday after a teenager was stabbed to death at the site of a special handover event.

Charles Junior Hendricks, 18, known as CJ, was knifed to death near a bus garage in Walthamstow, east London, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Organisers for the London Olympics had intended to show the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games on a giant screen near the scene, but police cordoned the area off following the stabbing.

The youngster is the 24th teenager to be murdered in the capital this year.

Last night, his distraught grandmother Weda Campbell wept as she visited the scene of his murder.

She said: 'He was supposed to go to college in September. He wanted to be a mechanic.

'He was a very good boy. I am telling you this from the heart, not because he was my grandson. He was a very good boy, he was a beautiful boy.'

CJ's body was discovered after police officers out on a routine patrol spotted two or three youths running from the scene at 1.40am.

CJ was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital in east London where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The 18-year-old, from Leytonstone, East London, had collapsed on a patch of grass close to Walthamstow Central bus station in North-West London.

Police sources said CJ may well have known his attackers and it is thought the stabbing could have taken place following a dispute.

Two youths, aged 17 and 19, were arrested nearby.

The 17 year-old was treated for a minor slash wound to his arm.

A local trainee youth worker, who did not want to be named, said the area had been plagued by gang violence, and claimed CJ may have been an innocent  -  rather than a targeted  -  victim of postcode gang wars.

Mourners: Friends and family arrive at the scene of the stabbing

A police source added: 'It doesn't look like this was a gang-related attack. It seems like the victim was an innocent boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.'

Clyde Loakes, leader of Waltham Forest Council, announced that he will hold an urgent meeting of five 2012 host boroughs to tackle knife crime.

He said: 'Yet again a small criminal minority have acted with devastating effect. This must stop.

'Knife crime is a serious problem, threatening not just Londoners but every part of the United Kingdom.

'Crimes of violence have no place in this borough. Tackling knife and gang crime is a priority for the authority and we continue to work closely with the police to intervene as early as possible.

'The safety and welfare of our young people is the responsibility of everyone in our community and we need everyone to work together to provide them with a strong future.

Tributes: Flowers are left behind near the spot where the teenager died

Walthamstow had been chosen as one of a number of sites in London to show the Olympic handover ceremony in Beijing.

Hundreds of people had been expected to gather around a giant screen to watch London Mayor Boris Johnson receive the huge Olympic flag from the Chinese, symbolising the start of the London Olympiad.

'As host boroughs, we must use the power of the Games coming to East London to inspire change in our communities and change for our young people.'

Tearful friends left flowers and tributes at the scene last night. One note read: 'To my darling CJ, will miss your smile so much. RIP BABE, love you always, Karen and Natalie.'

Another message began: 'To CJ, I will never forget you. You will always be there in my memories, in my heart. You will be missed, words cannot say. RIP, Luke and family.'

A friend of CJ's family, who declined to be named, said: 'He was very clever, a lovely boy who had his whole life ahead of him.

'I couldn't say anything bad about him, he had everything going for him. We need to reach out to these youths to stop this. There is too many now.'

Acting Detective Chief Inspector John Sandlin from the Met police asked for witnesses to come forward.

He said: 'I am appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the murder to please contact police with any information you may have.

'The incident happened close to a well-lit bus garage in Walthamstow.

'Did you see several males in the grass area near to the bus garage and close to Selborne Walk Shopping Centre?

'Did you see anyone run away from the scene?'

A post mortem examination will be held at Walthamstow mortuary this morning.