It is every parent’s worst nightmare. Sending your child off to school and never seeing them again. This morning, a 17-year-old boy remains in police custody being questioned by detectives after a 15-year-old girl was stabbed to death yesterday.
A student at the independent girls’ school Old Palace of John Whitgift, the young girl died after being stabbed in the neck with a foot-long knife during the morning rush hour in Croydon, one witness said. Another claimed the girl was stabbed after she attempted to intervene in an argument between a friend and their ex-boyfriend.
Her killing brings the total number of teen homicides committed in London so far this year to 15, exceeding the figure for the whole of 2022. The ignominious record of 30 was set in 2021.
Reports suggest the suspect used a so-called ‘zombie knife’, a type of weapon that has been increasingly linked with violent crimes and gang use. Inspired by zombie films, they often have one smooth blade and one serrated edge featuring graphics or text that suggest they should be used for violence.
Only last month, the Home Office announced new measures in an attempt to ban the sale of such blades and machetes, with the police set to receive more powers to seize and destroy the weapons as part of a wider crackdown.
These sorts of horrific incidents place yet more attention on knife crime in the capital. The Evening Standard has consistently supported the judicious and intelligence-led use of stop and search, as one of the key ways police can prevent stabbings once a person has decided to pick up a knife.
The real solution, however, is stopping people from doing that in the first place. That will require all parts of our city, from the Mayor and the Met to our schools and community groups, coming together to give young people the tools to make better decisions.
And then there will be fewer days where families and communities have to mourn the loss of a young person taken far too soon.
Kylie rocks the Empire
The last time Kylie Minogue played Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Sir Tony Blair was enjoying his honeymoon period, France hosted the World Cup and Shawn Mendes was days away from being born.
Undeterred, Kylie rocked the arena, diving straight into Spinning Around before launching into some of her (many) hits including the track of the summer, Padam Padam. Our reviewer, El Hunt, gave it five stars. The London summer may be slowly turning into autumn, but Kylie is evergreen.
