Teenage knife crime 'is one of biggest threats to London'
Amro Elbadawy, second from left, died after an argument spiralled out of control and he was stabbed
The huge rise in the number of teenagers being killed on the streets of London is the biggest threat facing the capital after terrorism, senior police officers believe.
Two more teenagers were stabbed to death within hours of each other in separate incidents this week. A boy aged 14 was stabbed in the throat after an argument with a friend, and a youth aged 17 was stabbed in the chest. Both attacks happened in daylight.
The latest murders bring to 11 the number of teenagers killed in the capital this year. Last year 26 were killed — 16 were attacked with knives, nine died in gun incidents and in one case the cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has already said this year that “there is no bigger challenge or threat to the whole of London, perhaps with the exception of terrorism, than youth violence”.
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His comments have now been echoed by Detective Chief Superintendent Barry Norman, head of the Met’s Violent Crime Command.
He believes a contributing factor is that ten-year-olds regard 14-year-olds involved in gangs as role models. He said that it was inevitable that more teenagers would be murdered.
Last month police in London put 500 known young gang members, including children as young as 11, under observation during the half term to try to tackle the rise in street violence, especially the growing use of knives.
Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, announced his policing manifesto yesterday and admitted that there was a “serious increase” in the number of youths being murdered.
Amro Elbadawy, 14, died after he was stabbed in Queen’s Park, West London, on Thursday evening. An argument with a “longstanding” friend spiralled out of control and he was stabbed in the neck. As he lay dying he was helped by two council employees, one of whom cradled the teenager in her arms.
Sharon Cohen, head of Westminster Council’s youth service, said: “Two of our staff saw the incident, which was between two young people who were friends, and which resulted in tragic consequences because they were carrying knives.
“The sad reality is that if you carry a knife there is the real danger that the pettiest of teenage disputes can all too quickly turn into a tragedy, and we would urge all our young people not to carry any sort of weapon.”
Tributes to Amro, described as a member of the SD Crew — also known as Street Disciples or Street Dreamz — were posted on MySpace. A photograph showing him wearing a hooded top and woolly hat was displayed on a number of pages.
Amro, a pupil at Paddington Academy in Maida Vale, died shortly after he was taken to the nearby St Mary’s Hospital. It has been suggested that he was the victim of a playground dispute, but detectives are still trying to find out the reason for the argument.
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested.Youngsters who gathered at the scene of his death yesterday said that the killing was an accident. One boy said: “They were both very good friends of mine. This was definitely an accident. I hope no one says this is a vicious thing. They were friends.”
Amro, a British national whose family originated in Egypt, lived on an estate in West Kilburn, West London.
Detective Superintendent Colin Lee said: “There has been an altercation between two young men which has culminated in one of them being stabbed. We understand that they were friends and had been so for some considerable time.” He urged anyone with information to come forward to the police.
As detectives began investigating Amro’s murder, their colleagues in North London were dealing with the murder of Devoe Roach, 17. He was walking with a friend in Stamford Hill on Thursday morning when it is believed that he became involved in an argument with a man who plunged a knife into his chest.
The suspect is described as being of Asian or Turkish appearance and aged between 18 and 22.
Devoe was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to the Royal London Hospital. He died of his injuries an hour later.
Mr Norman said: “We can put all of our intelligence-gathering skills and covert operations into fighting serious youth crime but it will not be enough. We need to invest far more in education, dysfunctional families and peer pressure.”
2008 murders
January 1: Henry Bolombi, 17, dies from a single stab wound to the chest after being attacked as he walked home in Edmonton, North London, after celebrating New Year
January 5: Faridon Alizada, 18, of Bexley, south-east London, dies from three stab wounds to the chest after being attacked in Verona House, a tower block in Erith
January 21: Boduka Mudianga, 18, known by his middle name Louis, stabbed to death in street brawl in Silver Street, Edmonton
January 26: Fuad Buraleh, 19, of Hayes, Middlesex, dies from head injury inflicted after he got off a bus in Dean Gardens, Uxbridge Road, Ealing
February 19: Sunday Essiet, 15, died from a stab wound. He was attacked after a row between groups of youths in Invermore Place, Woolwich
February 23: Tung Le, 17, of Deptford, south-east London, was attacked during a row outside a nightclub in Cockspur Street. He died from a stab wound
February 29: Ofiyke Nmezu, 16, known as Iyke, of Edmonton, suffered a head injury in an attack with a brick on February 15. He attended hospital two weeks later where he died from a skull fracture
March 13: Michael Jones, 18, dies from severe head injuries and a stab wound to the chest after being attacked by an intruder at his home Stanley Road, Edmonton
March 14: Nicholas Clarke, 19, dies from a gunshot wound to the head after a shooting at the Myatts Field Estate, Brixton
March 27: A 17-year-old schoolboy dies after apparently being stabbed in the chest in Stamford Hill, north London. Amro Elbadawi, 14, of West Kilburn, dies from stab wound after being knifed in Queen's Park, West London.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3640626.ece
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