More teenagers have been murdered in London this year than for the whole of 2022.
The 15-year-old schoolgirl knifed to death last week became the 16th teenager to be murdered in the capital and the 13th to die from stab wounds.
Last year, 14 teenagers were murdered in London.
Who killed the girl in Croydon?
Her ex-boyfriend did. (Read here)
The schoolgirl is the third teenager to have died from knife injuries in the capital this month.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: ‘I am absolutely heartbroken by the death of a 15-year-old girl in Croydon.
‘My thoughts and prayers are with this young girl’s family and friends, and the whole community, at this unimaginably awful time.’
A post-war record of 30 teenagers were murdered in London in 2021, with 29 killed in 2008.
Donna Murray-Turner, of Another Night of Sisterhood, which supports families in the aftermath of murders, criticised Mr Khan for failing to tackle the knife crime epidemic.
She said: ‘Once again, violence has had an immense effect on our community. This is going to have a massive effect across our borough.
‘It’s devastating that another young life has been taken.’
She called on Mr Khan to ‘refocus’ on the violent crime plaguing the capital.
She said: ‘As far as the Mayor of London is concerned, throwing funding at things isn’t enough. We need to have a bigger conversation.
‘This is a societal problem, it’s not just a black or working class problem. [Sadiq Khan] needs to start engaging in some uncomfortable conversations.’
