Kennington News

A teenager was stabbed to death in North London last night, the latest victim of a wave of knife attacks blighting the capital.

The youth, who is yet to be identified, died just after 9pm, half an hour after police had been called to an incident involving a group of youths in Holloway.

A spokeswoman for Scotland Yard said: “The London Ambulance Service attended and treated a male believed to be in his mid-teens with stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.07pm.

“We believe we know the identity of the deceased but we are in the process of informing next of kin. No arrests have been made at the moment.”

Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command were at the scene. The spokeswoman said that it was not yet clear how many people had been involved in the disturbance.

The murder of the teenager, who was white, comes after the shooting dead of Annaka Keniesha Pinto, a 17-year-old girl, during a fight at a bar in North London in the early hours of Saturday, and the fatal stabbing of Ben Hitchcock in a fight between two groups of youths in Beckenham, South London.

Ben, 16, who was nicknamed Swipe, died when he was attacked by 20 youths after he and a group of six friends had been banned from a party. It is thought that he and his friends — members of a teenage gang called the Penge Block — were ordered to leave the party, possibly after a row over a girl.

A rival group of teenage boys followed them and attacked with bats, bricks and bottles. Ben was stabbed and left dying in the street as the crowd fled at about 11.30pm. Fourteen teenagers aged between 13 and 16, were arrested in connection with the murder and released on police bail.

Since the beginning of the year, a dozen teenagers have been fatally stabbed or shot in London, including last night’s victim.

The latest killing will heighten calls for a curfew on teenagers. Detective Sergeant Simon Morgan, who is leading the investigation into Ben’s murder, said this week that the imposition of curfews was “an option being considered”.

“There is a lot being done at the moment,” he said. “It really does come down to guidance from adults and parents who need to know what youngsters are doing and where they are going.”

Under the local child curfew scheme, police can take home any child aged 16 or under if they are found after 9pm on a street within an area designated by the police and local authority.

Among the teenage deaths this year, Jevon Henry, 18, died in January after being stabbed in the heart in St John’s Wood, northwest London. Kodjo Yenga, 16, was stabbed to death in March, in Hammersmith, West London. In the same month, Adam Regis, the 15-year-old nephew of the Olympic sprinter John Regis, died of a single stab wound to the chest in Plaistow, East London.

Paul Erhahon, 14, was stabbed to death in Leytonstone, East London, in April.This month Sian Simpson, 17, was killed in Croydon, South London. Three people were arrested and released on bail.

The victims

Jevon Henry, 18, died on January 25 after being stabbed in St John’s Wood, northwest London. No one charged

James Andre Smartt-Ford, 16, of New Malden, Surrey, died on February 3 after he was shot at Streatham Ice Arena. No one charged

Michael Dosunmu, 15, of Peckham, South London, was shot dead in his home on February 6. Mohammed Sannoh, 18, and Abdi Omar Noor, 21, are charged with his murder. Two men, aged 18 and 23, and a 16-year-old boy are on police bail

Billy Cox, 15, was shot dead at his home in Kennington, South London, on February 14. He was serving a 12-month supervision order for burglary. No one arrested

Kodjo Yenga, 16, stabbed to death in Hammersmith Grove, West London, on March 14. Eight teenagers charged withmurder

Adam Regis, 15, died of a single stab wound in Plaistow, East London, on March 17. Four teenagers arrested and bailed

Paul Erhahon, 14, stabbed to death in Leytonstone, East London. A 15-year-old was also critically ill after the attack on April 6. Theo Diah, 18, of Leytonstone, and five youths are charged with his murder and the attempted murder of the 15-year-old

Dwaine Douglas, 18, was stabbed in the street in Thornton Heath on May 18 Sian Simpson, 17, died after a stabbing on an estate in Croydon, South London, on June 19. Three people were arrested and released on bail

Annaka Keniesha Pinto, a 17-year-old girl, was shot during a fight at a bar in North London on June 23

Ben Hitchcock, 16, stabbed in a fight between groups of youths in Beckenham, southeast London, on June 23. Fourteen teenagers were arrested and released on bail

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