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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Dying teenager called for mother | Dying teenager called for mother |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A 16-year-old boy called out for his mother as he lay dying after being stabbed and beaten in south London. | |
| Shakilus Townsend, from Deptford, south-east London, was beaten with a baseball bat and repeatedly stabbed in Beulah Crescent, Thornton Heath. | |
| Residents dragged him into the communal doorway of their building and tried to stem the flow of blood with bath towels after Thursday afternoon's attack. | |
| But the teenager died in hospital shortly after midnight. | |
| He is the 18th teenager to be shot or stabbed to death in London this year. | |
| Police described the incident as a "planned and targeted attack" by a group of four youths wearing hooded tops and bandanas. | |
| No suspects have yet been arrested. | |
| People living close to the scene described how they tried desperately to save Shakilus. | People living close to the scene described how they tried desperately to save Shakilus. |
| 'Senseless incident' | 'Senseless incident' |
| Dee Bamina, 35, tried to stem the bleeding from a wound to his chest. | |
| "I think a group of boys must have been after the boy," she said. | "I think a group of boys must have been after the boy," she said. |
| "All I heard was them saying 'get him from the other side'." | "All I heard was them saying 'get him from the other side'." |
| Ms Bamina saw a gang of four or five youths, aged 15 to 19, with scarves covering their faces. One had a baseball bat. A girl was also with them, she said. | Ms Bamina saw a gang of four or five youths, aged 15 to 19, with scarves covering their faces. One had a baseball bat. A girl was also with them, she said. |
| She said the boy was saying, "I don't want to die" and "where's my mum, I want my mum". | |
| An air ambulance was scrambled, but Shakilus was eventually taken to hospital by road after being treated at the scene. | |
| Det Ch Insp Cliff Lyons said: "This is another senseless incident in which a young life has been taken away by a knife. | Det Ch Insp Cliff Lyons said: "This is another senseless incident in which a young life has been taken away by a knife. |
| "Given that this happened outside a block of flats in broad daylight, I am certain there are people who will have witnessed this murder." | "Given that this happened outside a block of flats in broad daylight, I am certain there are people who will have witnessed this murder." |
| Wound on chest | |
| Neighbour Richard Higgins, 17, said he saw the weapon that was used. | Neighbour Richard Higgins, 17, said he saw the weapon that was used. |
| Why oh why?... it honestly brings tears to my eyes to read stories like this Chanel, online tribute | |
| "It was a big kitchen knife, maybe 18in," he said. | "It was a big kitchen knife, maybe 18in," he said. |
| "He had stab wounds on his stomach and one big long wound on his chest." | "He had stab wounds on his stomach and one big long wound on his chest." |
| Tributes for Shakilus appeared on the online memorial site Gone Too Soon. | Tributes for Shakilus appeared on the online memorial site Gone Too Soon. |
| A contributor Chanel wrote: "Why oh why... it honestly brings tears to my eyes to read stories like this." | |
| A tribute from Fiona said: "Such a waste.. May you rest in peace, xxx." | |
| Spate of stabbings | Spate of stabbings |
| Shakilus was attacked four days after 16-year-old Ben Kinsella was knifed to death in Islington, north London. Three teenagers were appearing in court on Friday charged with his murder. | Shakilus was attacked four days after 16-year-old Ben Kinsella was knifed to death in Islington, north London. Three teenagers were appearing in court on Friday charged with his murder. |
| Later the same day, the bodies of French students Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, both 23, were found riddled with knife wounds after a flat fire in New Cross, south east London. | Later the same day, the bodies of French students Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, both 23, were found riddled with knife wounds after a flat fire in New Cross, south east London. |
| Tunisian national Hamouda Bessaad, 34, was stabbed to death on Old Kent Road, south-east London, on Monday, while Dee Willis, 28, died after a knife attack in Peckham a day later. | Tunisian national Hamouda Bessaad, 34, was stabbed to death on Old Kent Road, south-east London, on Monday, while Dee Willis, 28, died after a knife attack in Peckham a day later. |
| Earlier this week Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair and Mayor Boris Johnson pledged to continue the struggle to persuade youngsters to stop carrying weapons. |