A 15-year-old boy and a 23-year-old man were stabbed to death amid a gathering of a big group of people who witnesses said were filming a music video and doing laughing gas.
Shocked locals described being kept awake by a group of up to 40 youngsters who appeared to be recording a ‘rap’ video around luxury cars before a ‘commotion’ broke out at a late-night street party in Islington, north London.
Police, who have launched a double murder investigation, and the London Ambulance Service were called to reports of a stabbing just after 11.30pm last night.
A 15-year-old boy was found with stab wounds and was sadly pronounced dead at the scene, which is near a nursery, just after midnight.
A 23-year-old man who had also been stabbed was taken to a west London hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A third victim, believed to be 28, was found at an address in the Archway area with a stab wound. He was taken to hospital where he remains and his condition is not thought to be life threatening.
A Section 60 Order granting police additional stop and search powers has been authorised as a 50 metre cordon remains around the tragic scene.
A resident in the area, Mark, 39, told MyLondon: ‘I went to work at 11:20pm and they were all there. We don’t get gatherings like this around here, it’s normally quiet out.
‘There were 20 of them doing laughing gas. They were surprisingly subdued for a crowd that size. But my radar went off.
‘There were water bottles getting thrown at the wall, they were starting to get boisterous. I could feel the aggression starting to up a little bit.
‘I got back at 2:20am and it was all cordoned off.’
One man, who wished not to be named, saw around 40 people listening to loud music as they loitered in the street where they had parked luxury cars, including Mercedes and Audis.
They appeared to be filming on their phones until a fight broke out and he called the police.
A woman, describing a similar scene, said the group were just ‘hanging around’, adding: ‘All of a sudden I heard a commotion.’I heard one of them shout, ‘get up’ – that’s when I realised he was on the floor.
One witness told the Evening Standard: ‘There was filming and then all hell let loose. There were a lot of kids, some very young hanging around. It’s a tragedy we are all shaken.’
Regina Agyeiwaa, 54, said: ‘There were paramedics at the scene working hard. I saw a bloody pair of jeans on the road, it was just horrible. For this to happen on our doorstep is terrifying.’
Police believe a large number of people were present when the attack took place and are urging witnesses and those with information to come forward.
There have been no arrests at this early stage.
Police have informed the next of kin of the two victims killed in the incident. They are being supported by specially trained officers.
Formal identification and post-mortem examinations will be conducted in due course, detectives said.
The Specialist Crime Command have launched an investigation. An extensive crime scene is in place and urgent enquiries are ongoing.
Chief Superintendent Andy Carter said: ‘My thoughts are with the families of the two victims who have suffered such an unimaginable loss in this shocking and unacceptable incident.
‘We will support our colleagues as they investigate and members of the public will see an increased policing presence in the area.
‘I urge anyone who has information that can help us establish exactly what has happened to approach those officers or contact us immediately.
‘A man and boy have lost their lives and we must now work together to identify those responsible and remove them from our streets.’
