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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Stabbed boy's parents thank woman | Stabbed boy's parents thank woman |
| (about 18 hours later) | |
| The parents of a 16-year-old knife victim have paid an emotional thank you to a woman who scared off his attackers and desperately tried to save him. | The parents of a 16-year-old knife victim have paid an emotional thank you to a woman who scared off his attackers and desperately tried to save him. |
| Shakilus Townsend's mother Nicola Dyer and father Derek visited the scene of their son's death in Thornton Heath, south London, on Friday night. | Shakilus Townsend's mother Nicola Dyer and father Derek visited the scene of their son's death in Thornton Heath, south London, on Friday night. |
| They and other relatives thanked Sharon Simpson, 47, for her brave actions. | They and other relatives thanked Sharon Simpson, 47, for her brave actions. |
| Shakilus was repeatedly stabbed and beaten with a baseball bat in Beulah Crescent on Thursday afternoon. | Shakilus was repeatedly stabbed and beaten with a baseball bat in Beulah Crescent on Thursday afternoon. |
| 'Planned and targeted' | 'Planned and targeted' |
| No suspects have been arrested over the killing. | No suspects have been arrested over the killing. |
| He is the 18th teenager to be shot or stabbed to death in London this year. | He is the 18th teenager to be shot or stabbed to death in London this year. |
| Ms Simpson said: "There was crying and pain. They said he was a very happy guy, he was nice." | Ms Simpson said: "There was crying and pain. They said he was a very happy guy, he was nice." |
| She said she saw two teenage boys, whose faces were covered, beating Shakilus with a baseball bat and kicking and punching him as he lay on the ground last Thursday. | She said she saw two teenage boys, whose faces were covered, beating Shakilus with a baseball bat and kicking and punching him as he lay on the ground last Thursday. |
| "I said to them don't slap him, don't hit him at all. I said leave him alone," she said. He was a well behaved and mannered boy, he just didn't deserve it at all Shakilus's stepmother | "I said to them don't slap him, don't hit him at all. I said leave him alone," she said. He was a well behaved and mannered boy, he just didn't deserve it at all Shakilus's stepmother |
| She said she ran outside, which caused the attackers to flee, giving her the opportunity to try and save Shakilus. | She said she ran outside, which caused the attackers to flee, giving her the opportunity to try and save Shakilus. |
| "The only thing he was talking about was his mum and that he didn't want to die. He knew he was going to die but I couldn't help him," she said. | "The only thing he was talking about was his mum and that he didn't want to die. He knew he was going to die but I couldn't help him," she said. |
| She said she saw a tall man looking on as the two teenagers with covered faces beat Shakilus. | She said she saw a tall man looking on as the two teenagers with covered faces beat Shakilus. |
| Police described the incident as a "planned and targeted attack" by a group of four youths wearing hooded tops and bandanas. | Police described the incident as a "planned and targeted attack" by a group of four youths wearing hooded tops and bandanas. |
| Floral tributes have been left at the scene, with messages from his cousin Kayreesha, his aunt Diana, and Ben Morris, a fellow pupil from Rosendale Primary School, which they both used to attend. | |
| Shakilus's stepmother, who asked not to be named, called for violent teenagers to be forced to join the army and be "sent to Iraq" following her stepson's death. | Shakilus's stepmother, who asked not to be named, called for violent teenagers to be forced to join the army and be "sent to Iraq" following her stepson's death. |
| She also said the 75 extra Met officers deployed to tackle knife crime were a "drop in the ocean". | She also said the 75 extra Met officers deployed to tackle knife crime were a "drop in the ocean". |
| Remembering Shakilus, she said: "He was a very good boy, doing what teenagers do, not what thugs do. | Remembering Shakilus, she said: "He was a very good boy, doing what teenagers do, not what thugs do. |
| "He was a well behaved and mannered boy. He just didn't deserve it at all. He had the cheekiest smile." | "He was a well behaved and mannered boy. He just didn't deserve it at all. He had the cheekiest smile." |
| A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed they were following one line of enquiry that the attack could have been sparked by a row over a girl. | A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed they were following one line of enquiry that the attack could have been sparked by a row over a girl. |
| Police said Shakilus was approached by four people just before he was attacked, three boys and one girl. | Police said Shakilus was approached by four people just before he was attacked, three boys and one girl. |
| Retrace steps | Retrace steps |
| The girl, who was black and in her mid-teens, was wearing a floral dress. | The girl, who was black and in her mid-teens, was wearing a floral dress. |
| Scotland Yard said today it was not yet clear whether she knew Shakilus or what her role was in the run-up to the attack. | Scotland Yard said today it was not yet clear whether she knew Shakilus or what her role was in the run-up to the attack. |
| Robert Temple, who was among the neighbours who tried to save Shakilus, said he found a knife believed to have been used in the attack in the driveway at the front of the flats which he picked up in a handkerchief and handed to police. | Robert Temple, who was among the neighbours who tried to save Shakilus, said he found a knife believed to have been used in the attack in the driveway at the front of the flats which he picked up in a handkerchief and handed to police. |
| A book of condolence has been opened at nearby Beulah Family Church. | A book of condolence has been opened at nearby Beulah Family Church. |
| Shakilus's father plans to retrace the steps his son had taken before he died. | Shakilus's father plans to retrace the steps his son had taken before he died. |