Around 100 people gathered at a vigil for a "bright and promising" 16-year-old boy who was murdered just before midnight as he joined friends to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks at Primrose Hill.
Harry Pitman was attacked after what police described as "an altercation" at the popular viewpoint in Camden, north London, which was filled with hundreds of people.
Witnesses said large crowds, including families with children, had gathered to watch the fireworks when the “senseless” violence broke out.
Harry’s mother, brother, and sister were among those who gathered at Downhills Park on Tuesday evening to pay their respect to the teenager, with many carrying flowers and balloons.
A series of football chants relating to Tottenham Hotspur, who Harry supported, were sung by attendees at the vigil in Downhills Park.
One woman could be heard shouting: “Harry Pitman, he’s one of our own.”
Flowers were then attached to the railings of the football court at the park.
Following a round of applause, a bunch of balloons was released into the air by attendees at the vigil.
The victim’s brother told the PA news agency he wanted Harry’s name to be chanted in the 16th minute of the next Tottenham Hotspur match.
It comes after London’s Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman said she had been told a group of residents had written “frequently over the last couple of years warning of such a tragedy” because of a rise in violence and anti-social behaviour.
She said some had “even hired a barrister to write a legal letter to Royal Parks” – which is responsible for Primrose Hill – “as they believe Royal Parks have not kept the park secure”.
Ms Waxman added: “This was a senseless tragedy and my thoughts are with Harry’s family and loved ones.”
The Met police said a 16-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of murder has been bailed pending further investigation.
Harry was stabbed to death as hundreds gathered near the Primrose Hill viewing platform in Camden.
In a glowing tribute, his school described him as a “bright and promising young soul” who touched many lives “with his infectious laughter and enthusiasm for life”.
Detectives said Harry had been with a group of friends when he became involved in an “altercation”. Despite the efforts of police, paramedics and an Air Ambulance crew, he was declared dead at the scene shortly before midnight.
“His dinner is still in the oven, Mum can’t bring herself to remove it. He has a younger four-year-old brother and a five-year-old sister. We haven’t told them what’s happened yet, we don’t know how to. I hope whoever has done this knows they haven’t just taken a life, they’ve destroyed a whole family and community.”
Tayla said her brother harboured dreams of following their great-grandfather George Davis into the Army and had set his sights on joining the SAS.
She added Harry could be “mischievous and cheeky” but he “didn’t have a bad bone in his body”.
His mother, Amanda Woolveridge, 37, and father Neil Pitman, 39, were too upset to comment.
Harry’s older brother Patrick, 18, said his brother had gone to Primrose Hill with seven friends.
He said: “We are all distraught, it just doesn’t seem real. We played video games and talked about getting older. He won’t grow older now, someone has taken his life away.”
Scotland Yard said Harry was the 21st teenager to be killed in London in 2023, 18 of whom were fatally stabbed. It marks a significant rise on the 14 homicides in 2022. The worst year on record was 2021, when 30 youngsters lost their lives.
The park in Primrose Hill was initially cordoned off as forensics teams put up a tent, while rubbish from Sunday night’s festivities littered the hillside, but Royals Parks confirmed the park reopened on Tuesday.
We can confirm that Primrose Hill has now fully reopened to the public.
— The Royal Parks (@theroyalparks) January 2, 2024
The tragic stabbing of Harry Pitman on New Year’s Eve is being investigated by the police.
Our thoughts are with Harry’s family and friends. pic.twitter.com/rXV3czCn7N
Superintendent Jack Rowlands, who looks after neighbourhood policing in Camden, said local people would continue to see officers patrolling the park.
Superintendent Jack Rowlands looks after neighbourhood policing in #Camden
— Camden Police (@MPSCamden) January 2, 2024
He explains that local people will continue to see officers on patrol in #PrimroseHill and asks for anyone with information about the tragic incident on New Year's Eve to contact police ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0344Z1LzPH
Detective Chief Inspector Geoff Grogan described the attack as a “senseless act of violence”. He urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward immediately.
One resident, who didn’t wish to be named, described the incident as “tragic but inevitable”, claiming that the park had become a “party hotspot” with drugs and alcohol since the pandemic.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said: “This is a senseless tragedy and I’m truly devastated for the family and friends of this young man. I am in close contact with the Met Police and an arrest has been made.
“Violent crime has a profound and long-lasting impact on communities and I’m determined to continue leading from the front to build a safer London for everyone.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the police investigation team on 0208 785 8099. You can also share information online here.
