Weekend of bloodshed in London as three stabbed to death in 24 hours

25 November 2019, 06:59

A man was stabbed to death at a house party in Whitechapel
A man was stabbed to death at a house party in Whitechapel. Picture: PA
EJ Ward

By EJ Ward

Three men were stabbed to death within the space of 24 hours in separate incidents in another weekend of fatal violence in London.

Detectives have launched three murder investigations following the string of violent incidents across the capital.

At shortly after 1am on Sunday, a 26-year-old man was found stabbed outside Ealing train station, with officers believing the man was involved in a row nearby before his car hit another car.

Then, at 6.10am on Sunday morning, police were called to reports of a mass brawl in Seven Kings, Ilford. A short time later, police attended Ilford Lane where they found a man, 24, who had been stabbed.

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Officers treated him at the scene before paramedics arrived and took him to hospital. He was pronounced dead at 12.36pm.

On Saturday, police were called at 8.48am to reports of a stabbing at a house party in Whitechapel. A 27-year-old had been stabbed. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.40am.

On the Ealing stabbing, Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, of the Met’s Homicide Team, said: “We believe the victim was involved in an altercation 100 metres from the railway station on The Avenue.

“This is a busy street with a number of shops and restaurants and if anybody was in the area and saw something, no matter how small, I would urge them to contact police.”

London has seen 130 fatal stabbings so far in 2019, almost at the same level as 2018 when 132 people were stabbed to death.

Detective Inspector Will White, leading the Whitechapel investigation, said: “I am keen to hear from anyone who was at the party in Buckle Street on Saturday.

"Even if you think you have nothing to offer, please do make the call. You may have information that confirms something that we have been told, or you may hold information that is vital to the investigation. Either way, please don’t hesitate, make the call.”

Seven men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder over the death of the 27-year-old.

Police at the scene of a fatal stabbing in Ealing
Police at the scene of a fatal stabbing in Ealing. Picture: PA

Sunday morning saw officers in Ilford called to reports of a fight on Telegraph Mews, a short while later police found a 24-year-old who had been knifed to death.

There have been no arrests over the death of the 24-year-old, who died in hospital on Sunday afternoon after he was found in Ilford.

The stabbings come after a mass machete brawl broke out at a screening of a BBC-backed film Blue Story, about gang violence.

Vue and Showcase cinemas both said they had banned screenings of the film.

West Midlands Police were called to Birmingham's Star City complex at around 5:30pm on Saturday in response to reports that a group of people had entered the complex with the large knives.

Seven officers all suffered minor facial injuries during the unrest, which saw a group of more than 100 people at the scene.

Four people have since been arrested on suspicion of assaulting police, including a 13-year-old girl, a girl and boy both aged 14, and a 19-year-old man. A fifth boy aged 14 was also arrested on suspicion of obstructing police.

Boris Johnson made an election promise to give police extra powers to stop and search known knife carriers and the Government has committed to recruit an extra 20,000 officers in the next three years to reverse reductions in police numbers.

Mr Johnson said his Government would take a "tough new approach" to tackle knife crime and serious violence.