Afternoon:
11°c
Four men stabbed to death in a single day
Benedict Moore-Bridger and Danny Brierley11.07.08
Four people have been stabbed to death in just 24 hours in London.
The victims included the 20th teenager to be killed in the city this year and three other men who died in separate attacks, the first at 4am yesterday. Mayor Boris Johnson said he was "appalled" by the latest wave of killings and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair described the deaths as "an absolute tragedy".
Met sources said officers were working around the clock following the attacks, which come in a week when the Met launched a 75-strong taskforce to stamp out knife crime in London. This week six people have died in six days through stabbings. The day of bloodshed began with a man in his forties murdered at a squat in Tottenham at 4am after being knifed in the head and stomach.
At 2.30pm a 19-year-old was stabbed in Edmonton during a fight which began in a house and spilled out into the street.
Three hours later Adnan Patel, 20, was knifed to death in a road rage attack in Leyton. At 8.30pm in Walthamstow a man was found in his flat with stab wounds and died at the scene. Another man was fighting for life after being knifed in his home in Willesden at 4am today.
WALTHAMSTOW
A MAN has died after being stabbed in his flat, police said today.
Residents in St David's Court in Walthamstow called 999 at 8.30pm yesterday after he was attacked. Paramedics fought desperately to save the victim, believed to be in his early 20s, but he was pronounced dead an hour later.
A police spokeswoman said he had stab wounds to the head and chest. No arrests have been made.
In a separate incident, a man in his late 20s was fighting for his life after being attacked in his home in the early hours of this morning.
Police were called to the house in Brenthurst Road, Willesden, at 4am and he was rushed to hospital.
A spokesman said his injuries were "life threatening". A 24-year-old woman was arrested later. She is currently being questioned by detectives.
TOTTENHAM
DETECTIVES were alerted to the murder in Tottenham when a member of the public walked into a police station to say a man had been stabbed at 4am yesterday.
The victim had suffered head injuries and knife wounds following an argument at a north London squat.
A Met spokeswoman said: "Officers and the London Ambulance Service found the man towards the rear of a disused pub." She said the victim, who is thought to be aged in his forties, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives arrested two men and a woman near the scene of the killing. They were taken to police stations in north London for questioning.
A post mortem examination was being carried out on the victim today.
EDMONTON
A TEENAGER staggered outside and collapsed dying in the street after being stabbed in a fight in a squat.
The 19-year-old was the 20th teenager to be murdered in London this year.
Police were called to reports of a fight in Gloucester Road, Edmonton, at around 2.30pm yesterday.
Officers and paramedics arrived to find the man lying in the street. He was taken to North Middlesex Hospital suffering from stab wounds and later pronounced dead.
Officers arrested a 26-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man nearby in connection with the killing. They are being held at separate north London police stations today.
Witnesses told how the man staggered from the terraced house and collapsed in the street.
Kerry Gough, 22, who lives in Gloucester Road, was with her one-year-old daughter when she walked past the victim. "I saw the man just after he was stabbed and I was physically sick. He was half on the pavement and half on the road and the police were trying to resuscitate him. "There was blood everywhere and it was dripping off the pavement down into the road. He was stabbed in the head, his eyes were open and there was blood coming out of them. "He was looking straight into my eyes, but through me so I guess he was already dead. "I'm still trying to get my head around it - it's good that my daughter is only a year old or else she would remember this for the rest of her life." Local café owner Mustafa Hassan, 59, said: "My friends saw him come out of the house and fall over between some cars. "They phoned the police and the ambulance and the ambulance arrived but it was too late for him. They saw a woman and two men trying to run away but the police caught them." The death is being investigated by the Met's Homicide and Serious Crime Command. The street was cordoned off today so forensics teams could examine the house.
Residents told how the house had been bedsits but more and more people had moved in and they suspected drug dealing was going on. Neighbour Aoife Mills, 16, said: "I see a lot of people coming and going from there looking stoned. I have seen him leave before and then a woman come out shouting at him.
"I see him all the time but he looks quite rough so I don't speak to him."
Leonard Mears, 49, who cared for his grandmother who lived in the street, said crime in the area was "out of control".
He said: "The street is mostly bedsits and shortterm rents. There has been a lot of drug dealing and every time someone gets a new TV they're burgled the next day. There are a lot of gangs around here and it's getting worse and worse. I'm not surprised someone has been killed, it was only a matter of time really."
LEYTON
A MAN has been stabbed to death in an apparent road rage attack after a minor accident.
Construction worker Adnan Patel was knifed in the stomach following a dispute with a number of men in a white van.
In a desperate attempt to flee the attack in east London, the wounded 20-year-old climbed back into his Ford Focus and sped off, but lost control due to his injuries and smashed into another car a few streets away.
Residents tried to save his life as he lay whispering prayers. Mr Patel's alleged attackers were arrested after a man stood in front of a white van to try to make it stop then passed its registration to police.
Mr Patel died at 5.30pm yesterday. Today witnesses told how he stumbled from his crashed car, bleeding heavily, and collapsed in Downsell Road, Leyton, clutching his stomach.
David White, 18, and his friend, NHS worker Leaanne Mitchell, 26, tried to help him. Mr White said: "I just thought it was a car crash but then he got out and I could see him bleeding. He was very weak and on the floor. I ran over - there was a lot of blood. Leaanne came out with sheets and towels - anything to stop the bleeding.
"He had been stabbed in another street. His brother was in the car as well, but he was driving, trying to get away, trying to get to hospital. He was losing consciousness and then he was gone. It was pretty bad. I felt sick. I tried to save his life. I was not just going to stand there and let him die."
Mr White said there had been an argument moments earlier involving the occupants of a Ford Transit van.
"It was something to do with road rage involving a Ford Transit. My twin brother, Sammy, later saw a white van driving around near the scene. He stood in front of it and said: 'You can't come down here, someone's been attacked'.
"The guy just nodded at him then he heard other people in the van say: 'Go, go, let's go'. He got the licence plate number and told the police."
Police said four people had been arrested in connection with the killing.
Reader views (17)
I would just like to comment on Squiz's entry regarding Willesden....... The whole of Willesden is not like that at all. Obviously you were on the Harlesden/Willesden borders which can appear menacing at times.
Like all other borough's things have seriously changed over the years. I doubt that anyine these days can say that the borough they live in has not had a stabbing, a shooting, a rape etc unfortunately these have become a sign of the times.
The people in power seem to have lost control of the streets, they are being taken over by others who think they can rob,rape,shoot and stab others without any consequence....... the Government needs to do something about this before it gets any worse ( if that is possible).
People slated Ken Livingstone when he was Mayor and looked to Boris Johnson to do better, in my eyes more people have been stabbed since he became Mayor or is it just that we didnt hear about it before ??
It riles me that the judicial system is so easy on people found guilty of minor crimes, filling prisons. There was a time when being convicted of a crime meant that you would serve your time, there was no luxuries, you knuckled down to hard work, these days you get your meals, a roof over your head,tv,computer games,you have no bills to pay and then you get time off for good behaviour....... what message does this send out to people ?? We are an easy touch
- Jayne, Willesden Green. London
Who cares?
The people in a position to do something about it don't. Anyone else's opinion means nothing.
- Teddy Picker, London
As a Londoner living in the sticks, it is a tragedy what is happening in my city. There should be more Police on the streets and they should be allowed to carry guns and shoot to kill no questions asked.
- Paul Hopkins, Swannington, England
Er, is it just me that has noticed but have all (or almost all) of the stabbings been carried out by young black men? Surely we need to acknowledge this and work out why so many have gone off the rails before we can solve it.
- Eastender, London UK
Stabbings, murders, rapes child abuse is it not time to say enough is enough.
Forget all the do gooders and penal reformers.
Make jails hard (think of the conditions for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq) no phones, no tv, segregated visits, it may not be what a civilised nation does, but when people step outside of the laws that make that country civilised then they must be prepared to pay the ultimate price.
We already have penalties for using and carrying weapons use them to the full, we have penalties for rapists which are never fully used, a woman's life when she has been raped is ruined and the knock on effect to her family can be devastating. The time is right to start to begin hard sentencing of the offenders not further humiliate victims with puerile sentencing. The UK as a whole wants to buck up and demand proper sentencing it only takes one good politician ton start the ball rolling but where is he/she.
- Paul Hankins, Hereford England
Where is our Prime Minister? @Friend of a farmer: You're spot on. Thanks to people in our street dumping their rubbish in our wheelie bin, it is over filled, and no doubt, we will be persecuted while elsewhere in the country, another life will be lost as the community support officers focus on arresting and fining the middle classes.
- Thinkster, Oxford & London, England
The message needs to be loud and clear to these people... if you carry a knife... you risk taking a bullet. The time has never been more right. Arm the police and remove the red tape so they can carry out the jobs they are paid to do!
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
Surely we've tried being liberal in trying to educate these morons already? From the age of 0-1 year old a child learns that knives hurt, why is it necessary for more education than that?
We can no longer take the same stance we have had for the past 30 years of defending these people because of poor parenting or poor upbringing or social environment. You can take two kids from the same family and one will be good and the other bad because everyone is an individual. Perhaps it is time we accepted that it is that individuals fault because all of our excuses and education are not stopping the problem.
We no longer have room in the prisons so perhaps its time we took the American stance and eradicated these idiots from the gene pool? And before we talk about their rights to live, what about the rights of the people they have murdered?
There are no more excuses. I know it's harsh but it's time we started dealing with this problem practically and effectively. Half the time these criminals leave prison and kill again anyway, so i am sure that the vast majority of people would feel much safer knowing such people will never walk our streets again. Besides, why should taxpayers pay millions for their free food and lodging?
I know it has not stopped knife crime in America but we should at least try and threaten the ultimate deterrant.
- Babel, London
Face it: the police are completely useless. They have lost control of the streets. But woe betide a citizen who over-stuffs his wheelie bin.
- Friend Of A Farmer, Once an east ender.
Its horrifying , yet you know even if they catch the perps--they will get community service or a suspended sentence.
Why cant the courts (who blame the politicians--who in turn blame the judges---etc,etc) set an example and put these wastes of sperms and eggs in jail for life--bread and water--just enough food to keep them alive.
Surely this would send a message to people--you CANT stab others and get away with it.
Then, maybe, YUTE would start to respect the Po-Po.
- John, Birmingham UK
I was in Willesden/Harsleden last night to pick up a package from a courier firm. The whole place was a desolate wasteland of industrial estate buildings and in Willesden the houses all had a neglected look as had the shops. I saw four seperate groups of young asians walking the streets dressed up as rap artistes trying to look menacing. It does not surprise me there was a stabbing there last night, it looks like there could be one an hour if enough victims were around. Twenty years ago I used to live in Dollis Hill and Willesden was quite a smart urban dormitory area. Now I wouldn't live there if I was offered a free house. The difference between 20 years ago and now? Immigrants I would suggest.
- Squiz, Islington
London now is a city of killing, no better than Baghdad.
- S.Y., London
There should be a announced news flash so that the country knows this is going to be aired. Gordon Brown with the commissioner of police should say that anyone caught carrying a knife will get ten years imprisonment and if they are still at the age under parent control the parents will be charged as well.
Some of the public may think this is harsh but what would you say if it was your child who has been murdered. What we need as a country is those who have the power to make a change need to show a little back bone, as this country is getting worse and will only go downhill sadly.
- Mick, London
Education is clearly a key and we need longer school hours, more sport and more involvement of parents - and the teaching of good manners, morals and living in a community need to be higher on the agenda. More youth centres and activities for young people are essential. In Camden Town, for example, the Jubilee Centre, an outdoor activity centre has been closed for a year. Parenting is also very important and much more needs to be done to offer support; frankly, we must intervene where intervention is deemed necessary.
We, the public, need to be much less tolerant of low level crime - litter, drugs, rowdiness and anti-social behaviour, for example - so that people know that better is expected of them. The public needs to report crime more often and, where considered safe to do so, intervene and 'finger wag' and 'tut tut'. We each need to be just a little bit more brave, a little bit more interested in our capital. Just 'walking on by' leaves that person culpable. But we also need more police - and more police on the streets who, by staying a good few years in the same area, get to know the people and the problems.
Clearly, we must become more alert to what is going on around us and report what we see. Too many of us walk our streets in a mindless vacuum, music blaring in through headphones. The 'nothing to do with me' attitude is no help - we are all in this together. It is time to start acting for the common good and the 'me me me' attitude needs to go.
- Lester May, Camden Town, London, England
What the hell is going on. Why? Why? Why?
- Stephen, London
Young people now have no regard for someone's life and would kill you as soon as look at you.
A lot of these youngsters are the product of irresponsible mothers whose partners have long since gone. As a result,there is no discipline.
- Steve, London
I know this is the unwanted remark. But we must end this stabbing.
- Dave Smith, Croydon
