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Two teens stabbed to death
Jack Lefley and Rashid Razaq20.02.09
TWO teenagers have been stabbed to death only hours apart in separate attacks.
A 19-year-old student was killed on a petrol station forecourt in a savage gang attack in Wealdstone at 7.30pm. Three hours later - on the other side of the capital - an 18-year-old man who has not yet been named was stabbed outside Maryland railway station in Leystonstone Road and taken to Royal London Hospital with a wound to his torso but died shortly after.
He was the third teenager to die violently in the capital this year.
Last year, 22 youths were fatally stabbed in the capital but police and politicians claimed they had the violence under control after the number of stabbings fell from a year earlier.
Witnesses told how student, Hassan Kul Hawadleh, 19, had stopped to fill up his car with petrol at the Total service station in High Street, Wealdstone, last night when he and a friend were attacked by up to eight men.
The Somali teenager was stabbed in the chest and collapsed, covered in blood, in front of customers and staff. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His friend, also 19, was stabbed in the torso but was taken to hospital and is now in a stable condition.
Friends claimed today that the pair were the latest victims of a feud between groups of Somali and Afghan youths in the area.
A police source confirmed that officers were investigating whether the attack was linked to rivalry between the two groups.
Mr Hawadleh, of Colindale, was described by friends today as "gentle" and "hard-working" who may have been targeted simply because he was Somali.
A friend, 23-year-old Issaq Soul, said: "There is a war going on between the Afghans and the Somalis. The tension has been building. They want to call the shots around here. They are completely lawless. But Kul wasn't caught up in all that."
Mr Soul claimed the killing was linked to another recent attack in which a 16-year-old Somali youth was stabbed by local Afghans.
He also spoke of another time when masked Afghans had stormed a local Somali café armed with knives and machetes and added: "The police have to step in now because it is only going to get worse after this."
Mr Hawadleh's friends have left a string of tributes to him on Facebook today. One calling himself "Flex N.w" wrote: "Flex is in shock R.I.P Hassan kul."
Reader views (14)
the thing that amazes me about these stabbings is that all the victims have never been gang members.i have a 16 old son and know he is not in a gang because his mother and i make it our business to know.the media is also to blame with their over the top reviews on people like puff diddy etc.yes these people are role models.
- Phil Powell, brixton london
I was in the same class as Kul in high school.. he was a very funny person, down to earth and got along with everyone.. when i heard the news i couldnt believe it..i am still in shock! No one deserves anything like this! R.I.P Kul.. Love You and Miss You xx
- Anon, Wembley, London
How about deporting them back to where they came from? If they come to settle in the UK they should leave their baggage behind them. Life is cheap.......
- Barbara, sydney, australia
Some hail our vibrant multicultural society as enriching, normally from a "nice" neighborhood which is at a safe distance and where they have moved their own family to ensure with a good School (Dianne Abbot/Harriet Harmon/Tony Blair et al). In reality many of our cities are gang ridden and carved up between Somali's, Afghan's, Tamil Tigers and a plethora of other ethnic sub divisions whome our Police "service" are hoplesly overwhelmed by. Multi-culturalism requires more than an appreciation of other peoples cuisine to enrich the lives of the underpriveliged people given the right to make a new life in the U.K. Please do not tell us how enriched we are because you don't live around here do you!
- Les, London
Aah. London. The murder capital of Britain! Makes one so proud.
- Tangomike, Kensington, London
Very sad. Life is very unsecure. Now one knows why we are killing eachother. There is no sever punishment everything is going easy.Warning to the concerned authorities, how to control it?
- M A Sular, London
I think we definitely do need harsher sentencing for violent crimes, and murder is the most serious of crime and the sentence must reflect this.
However, currently the 'starting point' judges have to use to decide the minimum number of years a murderer will actually spend in prison if they kill with a knife is just 15 years.
It seems unbelievable that such extreme violence and the absolutely final consequences to the victim carries a sentencing regime of only 15-years in prison.
We are campaigning for government to increase this to at least 25 years, and for government to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for ALL violent crimes, and....crucially....to ensure this message is sent loud and clear including via tougher sentences, media advertising campaigns and education in schools.
- S Denham, London
Just another night in old London Town,one only has to watch the American Cop reality TV to see where we are going.
- David,Chertsey, Chertsey.UK.
Call me old fashioned but wouldn't having some police on the streets help!?
- Richard, Harrow
Prison is just a drain on the rest of us. The Boot Camp idea might be the solution to all that pent-up testosterone, and could help increase military numbers for overseas "peace keeping".
- Alex Mckenna, Manchester
Spot on Owen! The offenders need to be given a sort of punishment that they won't like, not put up in Hotel Prison Service and given compensation everytime the Delsey toilet roll runs out!
- Ian, Croydon UK
Perhaps it is time to think out of the box a bit.
The questions I think we should be asking is 'Why do teens feel it is OK to carry and use a knife?' and 'Would harsher sentencing stop them carrying them?'
I am not convinced that harsher punishment will change the attitude that currently justifies carrying a knife.
- Stuart, UK
Not long now till everyone is so scared they carry a knife for protection.
- Serox, London
i think that is about time that heavier sentances were handed down to people caught carring knives.if a mandatory 10yr sentance was handed down young people would think twice about wasting the remainder of their teenage years and some of their 20s in an institution.and 10 yrs should mean 10yrs with no remission and also be made to work for the bill that should be given to them for their board and lodgings.
- Owen Mulhall, london uk
