Arsenal have led tributes to 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin who was murdered in a sword attack while he walked to school on Tuesday.
The teenage Arsenal fan was attacked by an armed man who went on a violent rampage in Hainault and suffered fatal wounds to his neck and chest.
The north London club showed a picture of Daniel on screens at the Emirates Stadium ahead of their Premier League game against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
Arsenal fans also paid tribute to the teenager in the 14th minute of the fixture as applause broke out around the stadium and a banner reading “RIP Daniel” was held up in the crowd.
Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzo, a dual Spanish-Brazilian national living in Newham, was charged with murdering Daniel and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The Arsenal tribute came as the boy’s family issued a new statement thanking the local community for their support.
They said: “We as a family are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Daniel.
“It is difficult for us at this time to process what has happened to him and that he will never come home. Daniel had left the house for school and then he was gone.
“Our children have lost their loving and precious brother and we have lost the most loved and amazing son.
“We would like to send our best wishes to the other victims of this unthinkable incident.
“We would also like to thank the local community for all of their support during this most difficult time.
“We ask that the media please respect our privacy and refrain from contacting us or our family.”
Staff and pupils at Bancroft’s, an independent school, said they had been left in “profound shock and sorrow” following the student’s death.
A statement said: “We are devastated by the heartbreaking news of the death of Daniel Anjorin, who attended our school. This has left us in profound shock and sorrow.
“Daniel joined Bancroft’s at seven years old and quickly became a core member of our community.
“He was a true scholar, demonstrating commendable dedication to his academic pursuits.
“His positive nature and gentle character will leave a lasting impact on us.”
The school was also hit by tragedy last summer after former pupil Grace O’Malley-Kumar was stabbed to death in Nottingham as she tried to save her friend Barnaby Webber from a knife attacker.
