Morning:
9°c
One more death hours before mass knife rally
Aline Nassif and Benedict Moore-Bridger22.09.08
A man stabbed to death on the eve of an anti-knife crime march was attacked on the doorstep of a social club built to "heal the community" after the Brixton riots.
Lucan Gordon had his throat cut outside Brixton Sports and Social Club just hours before 2,000 people marched through London in protest at the escalating death toll among young people.
The 23-year-old, originally from Jamaica, was found outside the Domino Club, in Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, at 9pm on Friday. Friends said he had celebrated his birthday the day before.
A post mortem gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the neck.
It is believed he was outside the club with a group of people when he was attacked by one man.
Mr Gordon, from West Norwood, left a trail of blood from the door of the club to the front gate where he collapsed. He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.
Police are examining CCTV footage. There have been no arrests.
Flowers, tributes and messages of condolence were left at the scene. One tribute, from Marlene, read: "I will always remember you in my heart Ziggy. Love you," while another said: "To Lucan, aka Piggy. Gone but not forgotten. God took you because he had a better plan. It just seems so unreal. Miss you lots. Tanese."
Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth's cabinet member for community safety, said: "Today is a sad day. Especially when you think this club was built in the Eighties as a direct result of the Brixton riots to heal the community."
On Saturday, 60 families of victims of violence joined thousands of campaigners at The People's March calling for an end to gun and knife crime.
Actress Brooke Kinsella, the sister-of Ben who was stabbed to death in June, and Richard Taylor, father of Damilola Taylor, who died in 2000, were at the rally when the two marches met.
Mr Taylor, 59, said: "We all have to come together to say 'enough is enough'."
Barry Mizzen, father of 16-yearold Jimmy who was stabbed this year in a south-east London bakery, said: "I'm encouraged by the fact there are so many people here raising awareness. I am more than glad to be here today if it helps make a difference, and in memory of our son."
The march ended with a peace rally in Hyde Park. Bereaved families took to the stage while a gospel choir performed. The crowd observed a minute's silence.
Reader views (4)
Why are some people so negative? At least we went out and marched, we did something practical unlike those who just sit on their backsides and complain about 'knife crime' marches.
Nobody said this march will stop killings, that would be stupid, but at least we are getting out and uniting as one, unlike you lazy complaining people.
- Lauren, London
Badly misdirected,AGAIN!! Knives do not kill, PEOPLE kill! When labor took all the guns away everyone turned to knives. Knives are not the problem. Try a lack of morals and police action to break up the gangs. There is your problem! How about parents taking notice of their children's habits. The media has also been to fault by their feeding frenzy over this.
- John (Brit Exp Pat), Phoenix USA
Knife crime has GOT to be stopped.
What has got to happen to make everyone in this country who has the NIMBY thought take notice it is happening everywhere now, spreading fast.
It will be in cosy little villages and remote areas, it's not just Croydon and Brixton, Lewisham, Brockley and Catford,Thornton Heath, Norbury etc where it is almost a daily occurence it's not a shock anymore.
Who has to die for it to MATTER, someone {important}?
Is it because it is generally young people, non-famous, non-celebrity.
Our children, the next generation have to be TAUGHT the preciousness of human life and the meaning of death being final. Shown autopsies of their victims. Meet the bereaved families, spend an hour with grieving brothers and sisters and relatives of their mindlessness.
They are all roaming around controlling the streets as they believe the police cannot touch them - literally - and they "know their rights" yeah, what about the rights of someone laying on the floor with their intestines hanging out of a stab wound slowly painfully dying with no doubt onlookers enjoying the scene imagining it to be as fake as in a film.
Criminals are criminals. Justice has to be seen to be done. Courts HAVE to hand out PUNISHMENT and mean it. A life sentence means a LIFE sentence, a hard, long one in prison with their privileges taken from them.
The families of murder victims have a much harder life sentence to bear.
- Jackie, surrey, Coulsdon nr, Croydon ~(unfortunately)
I'm fed up seeing all these anti knife marches.
Do they really think its going to stop the killings ?
The only way out of this impasse is to Arrest, Arrest and Arrest !!
- Mark Mealclaff, London
