Times London Teenage Murder Victims

2008 murders (before September 16th)

January 1: Henry Bolombi, 17, dies from a single stab wound to the chest after being attacked as he walked home in Edmonton, North London, after celebrating New Year

January 5: Faridon Alizada, 18, of Bexley, south-east London, dies from three stab wounds to the chest after being attacked in Verona House, a tower block in Erith

January 21: Boduka Mudianga, 18, known by his middle name Louis, stabbed to death in street brawl in Silver Street, Edmonton

January 26: Fuad Buraleh, 19, of Hayes, Middlesex, dies from head injury inflicted after he got off a bus in Dean Gardens, Uxbridge Road, Ealing

February 19: Sunday Essiet, 15, died from a stab wound. He was attacked after a row between groups of youths in Invermore Place, Woolwich

February 23: Tung Le, 17, of Deptford, south-east London, was attacked during a row outside a nightclub in Cockspur Street. He died from a stab wound

February 29: Ofiyke Nmezu, 16, known as Iyke, of Edmonton, suffered a head injury in an attack with a brick on February 15. He attended hospital two weeks later where he died from a skull fracture

March 13: Michael Jones, 18, dies from severe head injuries and a stab wound to the chest after being attacked by an intruder at his home Stanley Road, Edmonton

March 14: Nicholas Clarke, 19, dies from a gunshot wound to the head after a shooting at the Myatts Field Estate, Brixton

March 27: Devoe Roach, 17, dies after apparently being stabbed in the chest in Stamford Hill, north London

March 27: Amro Elbadawi, 14, of West Kilburn, dies from stab wound after being knifed in Queen's Park, West London

May 3: Lyle Tulloch, 15, from Peckham, south London, is fatally stabbed in a stairway of a block of flats

May 10: Jimmy Mizen, 16, is attacked with a shard of glass in a bakery in Lee, south east London

May 24: Rob Knox, 18, is stabbed to death in a fight outside the Metro Bar in Station Road, Sidcup

May 28: Sharmaarke Hassan, 17, dies in hospital after being shot in the head in Camden, north London, on May 24

June 2: Arsema Dawit, 15, is stabbed to death in a block of flats near Waterloo station

June 29: Ben Kinsella, 16, dies after he is stabbed in York Way, Islington

July 3: Shakilus Townsend, 16, dies after being stabbed and beaten with a baseball bat in Thorton Heath, south London

July 7: David Idowu, 14, a Southwark schoolboy, dies almost three weeks after being stabbed in an attack

July 10: Melvin Bryan, 18, two charged with his murder in a flat on Gloucester Road, Upper Edmonton

July 17: Freddie Moody, 18, was murdered after a water pistol fight turned violent in Stockwell, South London

August 6: Ryan Bravo, 18, is shot dead outside a supermarket in Walworth, South London. He was mistakenly shot in the back as gunmen targeted two fleeing youths

August 16: Nilanthan Murddi, 17, dies in hospital after being stabbed in the neck in Croydon, South London

August 24: Charles Hendricks, 18, known as CJ, is fatally stabbed near a bus garage in Walthamstow, East London

August 31: Shaquille Smith, 14, dies from a single stab wound to the stomach after he and his sister, 16, are attacked by a gang of youths outside their home in Hackney, East London

September 13: Oliver Kingonzila, 19, semi professional footballer stabbed during a fight outside a nightclub in Croydon

This list is reproduced from the Times On line the original article can be found here.

Jacqui Smith Statement -"people are entitled to feel unsafe on the streets because of knife crime."

"I understand why people are worried when they see, particularly, young people using knives on other young people, and some of the tragic deaths we have seen.

"That is why we need to be very tough with enforcement and send out a clear message: you will not make yourself safer by carrying a knife."

There has been widespread concern about knife crime after a spate of fatal stabbings of young people, particularly in London.

Earlier this year the Government released figures which showed that one person is stabbed every four minutes.
From the Telegraph .

By Christopher Hope, Home Affairs Editor

* Thought of the day

Why don't the UK Government sort out their own back yard instead of making it their policy to involve us in the affairs of other countries?

Peace March London

* Over 10,000 marched to protest knife crime - Well done Guys Keep the pressure up!

"Thousands of people including families and friends of gun and knife crime victims have begun two peace marches across London to Hyde Park.

The first march began from Kennington Park, south London, while another began from Caledonian Road, north London.

Relatives of Damilola Taylor, killed in 2000, and Ben Kinsella, stabbed to death this year, are taking part.

The idea was started on Facebook by two London women. The marchers chanted "Stop the knives, save lives".

Onlookers clapped and some motorists beeped their horns in a show support.

On the eve of the march, a man in his 20s was stabbed to death outside a club in Brixton, south London.

Organisers hope that tens of thousands of people will take part in a bid to stop people from carrying knives.

Gary Trowsdale, special projects organiser for the Damilola Taylor Trust which organised the event, said the rally was about taking a stand against violence.


I don't think enough is being done to combat the situation and this is a good opportunity to show that we are not going to give up the fight
Ivette Bryon-Graham, mother of knife-crime victim

He told BBC News: "It all came about from a group of people on Facebook, just coming together, really, and crying out for change after the death of Ben Kinsella.

"It's more about the people who have decided enough is enough, and before it happens to someone in their family, they want to come together and make a stand.

"The fact is, if we can reach out to the good kids, and there are a lot more of them, and everybody can come together like this, then there is no reason why this epidemic can't be put behind us."

The idea for the People's March, originally started by Sharon Singh and Gemma Olway, both 26 and living in south west London, has received strong backing from several national newspapers.

As many as 40 families directly affected by knife violence are expected to attend.

Speaking on the BBC's Breakfast programme, Damilola Taylor's father Richard said: "What we feel the impact of today's march will be is to send a message to young people that enough is enough of these killings.

Damilola Taylor
Damilola Taylor's father has called for parents to take greater responsibility

"There are other ways by which you can sort out a fight rather than use a knife. We have had enough of this."

Mr Taylor also called for families to take greater responsibility for "guiding" their children.

Rosie Ogazi, whose 21-year-old brother Antony was murdered in Stockwell in May, will also be at the march.

She said: "Since my brother died I'd felt I had not been doing anything but now I feel like I'm doing something constructive.

"It makes me feel useful. It will be good to see that my brother's death has not been in vain."

Also attending the procession will be Ivette Bryon-Graham, whose son Javarie Crighton was stabbed to death in Peckham last year.

She said: "I've been blessed by the support of these people. I don't think I would have coped without it.

Speakers and music

"I don't think enough is being done to combat the situation and this is a good opportunity to show that we are not going to give up the fight.

"If we save just one person then that would be a good benefit."

The marchers will congregate in Hyde Park at 1330 BST for a rally including speakers and music.

Hundreds of people will also be taking part in another anti-gun and knife crime march in north-west London at midday.

The Not Another Drop march, which is in its fifth year, begins in Harlesden and ends in Wembley Stadium.

About 2,000 people are also expected to attend an anti-knife march in Inverclyde, Scotland."
This article is reproduced from BBC News 24

Attempted murer of Police Officer

Off-duty officer stabbed in chest

An off-duty policeman has been stabbed several times while trying to break up a fight in Derbyshire.

The detective sergeant tried to stop a fight involving a group of people as he walked along Church Street, Dronfield.

After identifying himself as a police officer, he was stabbed in the chest and arm. His injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

A 29-year-old man from Dronfield has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said.

The officer, who has not been named, is being treated at Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital.
BBC News 24

Petition Accepted

COMMUNITIES AGAINST KNIFE CRIME PETITION
Our Epetition has just been accepted by the Prime Ministers office..... It reads as follows

"Where communities are strong and cohesive, crime and fear of crime is lessened. More needs to be done to address the underling causes of knife crime and boost communities. This could be achieved by the setting up of local community champions within the existing framework of local participation. Working alongside judicial reform which makes carrying concealed weapons an offence which carries a mandatory prison sentence would go a long way to promoting public confidence."
If you wish to sign the petition, the link is here.

Thank you
Ali

Damians Law update

It's A Law That Will Save Lives

Sep 10 2008

JOHN Muir's son, Damian, was stabbed to death last year by a thug out on bail for another knife offence.

He was stabbed eight times in a vicious, sustained and unprovoked street attack.

The senseless killing has shattered a whole family.

But yesterday John, 69, put aside his grief to speak passionately at the Scottish parliament about a law that could spare other families the same pain.

In a moving, eloquent speech he called on MSPs to back proposals for Damian's Law - automatic jail for all knife crime, including carrying a deadly weapon.

Flanked by Damian's brother and sisters, he said thousands of young men carried knives as casually as most of us carry mobile phones.

And every time they did, they went out equipped to kill.

Support for Damian's Law is growing. And the Muirs' dignified campaign will only add to the calls for an effective response to the growing menace posed by Scotland's blades culture.

So far, more than 15,000 people have signed a petition.

Senior Labour MSPs have thrown their weight behind behind the campaign.

Scots QC Paul McBride has backed it, too. He is convinced the threat of jail will deter young men from leaving home with a lethal weapon.

Public alarm and expert opinion should not be ignored. It is time for politicians on all sides to get behind Damian's Law.

Because one thing is certain - we need action to end the tide of killings.

Scotland has one of the highest murder rates in Europe.

And blades are the most common murder weapon by far, used in about half of killings.

In the last 10 years, 524 lives have been claimed by knife-wielding thugs in Scotland. And scores more victims have been maimed for life.

Everyone agrees something must be done.

But if the government's reluctance to back automatic jail terms for knife crime is based on their desire to reduce the numbers in Scots prisons, that is not acceptable.

Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill has his priorities back to front if he is ducking a chance to curb knife crime for the sake of artificial prison targets.

Holyrood's petitions committee will now conduct an inquiry.

And if the evidence suggests that Damian's Law would deter knife thugs,it should go on the statute book.
The Daily Record On line (here)