Teen Dies After Being Stabbed In Kensington, West London
A teenager has died after being stabbed in Kensington, West London, on Sunday, February 18. The attack took place in the early morning hours, with the 19-year-old pronounced dead at the scene upon the arrival of first responders.
According to the London Evening Standard, authorities arrested one individual the same age as the deceased, with the suspect currently being held in custody as police continue to investigate his connection to the murder. Detectives believe the incident may have been linked to a nearby house party which had been thrown the night before on Earls Court Road. A total of eight people are rumored to be involved with the crime, with reports stating that one suspect was heard yelling “Let’s chase him down” as he and the other assailants went after the boy and his friends.
Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell issued a statement in which he confirmed that London authorities were looking into the previous evening’s gathering, and implored anyone who was either at the party or in the area at the time of the murder to come forward. He went on to say that the investigation is still in the early stages, and police would be grateful for any tips which could help them move forward with the case.
#Kensington A 19 year-old man's become the 11th person to be stabbed to death in London this year. He was found in Logan Place, Kensington, early this morning. A 19 year-old is being questioned pic.twitter.com/STi0NogstO
— London 999 (@999London) February 18, 2018
As reported by The Guardian, forensics officers were seen gathering items from behind a roped-off area of Logan Place, while police officers stood guard of the suspected crime scenes. Neighbors told reporters that they had seen authorities searching the areas with flashlights, causing residents to wonder if law enforcement officials had something in particular they were looking for.
This weekend’s death marks the fifth teenage fatality of 2018 to occur as a result of knife crime. On Valentine’s Day, a 17-year-old lost his life in east London after being stabbed to death in Canning Town. Paramedics were unable to save the youth after he was chased down by assailants in a car, none of whom have yet been caught.
Overall, a total of 11 individuals have been stabbed in London since the new year began. January 1 itself brought news of a young man’s death, with the individual having been stabbed at a house party hosted on December 31. In 2017, a total of 80 people lost their lives due to knife crime in the nation’s capital. Mayor Sadiq Khan is being pressured, not only by locals, but also other politicians to do something about the rampant crime epidemic that has been sweeping the city’s streets for some years now, and only seems to be increasing in severity.
