A 15-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed in north London has been named by police as they continue to appeal for witnesses.
Deshaun James Tuitt was knifed at Highbury Fields, Islington, just before 9pm on Thursday August 4.
Metropolitan Police officers and London Ambulance Service (LAS) medics found him with knife injuries and he died in hospital a short time later.
Deshaun’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
A post-mortem examination found his cause of death was a stab wound, shock and haemorrhage.
Borough Commander for Camden and Islington, Chief Superintendent Andy Carter, said: “This is an incredibly tragic case where a young man’s life has been ended prematurely despite the efforts of the police officers and LAS who arrived on scene very quickly.
“Deshaun had his whole life in front of him and that has now been cruelly taken away and our thoughts are with his family and friends who will be devastated by this loss.
“I would like to thank the local community who have contacted the incident room and provided really vital information in the last few days.
“The willingness of the community to help us in this has been incredibly important in these early stages.
“We know that there were lots of people in the park on Thursday evening, many of whom were young people who may be finding it difficult to come forward.
“I would urge you to think about Deshaun’s family who are looking for answers.
“I also appeal to anyone else who was in the park that night who may even have been a victim of another crime themselves to report this to us as it may help this investigation.”
Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said investigating officers want to hear from anyone who was in the Highbury Fields area between 8pm and 9pm on August 4.
He added: “Did you see anyone running or behaving suspiciously?
“Can you help us build a picture of the events that led to Deshaun being stabbed?
“You will continue to see police in the area for the foreseeable future, please approach them with any information you may have.”
Albina, who lives locally and asked to be called only by her first name, said her daughter witnessed a gang of “around 70” youths approaching the park about an hour before the stabbing.
She told the PA news agency that her daughter, a teacher, was walking with her 15-year-old son at about 7.45pm when she saw the group, which she guessed included children as young as 15.
Kimberley Patton-Bragg and Michael Bragg said they witnessed a police presence as a group of between 15 and 20 young people became “heated” at about 7pm.
Ms Patton-Bragg said: “Kids – it was definitely kids – were being rambunctious and it was definitely getting heated.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD 7948/4Aug.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
