Two teenage drill rappers have been found guilty of murdering 18-year-old Keanu Harker in a shooting linked to a gang dispute on social media.
On June 26 last year, Tayvon Etefia, then 17, was riding an e-bike with passenger Emmanuel Popoola, also 17, when Popoola shot Harker in the head and chest.
Harker, who was riding a bicycle, was taken to hospital but died later that evening.
Following a six-week trial at the Old Bailey, both defendants, now 18, were found guilty of murder and possessing a self-loading pistol with intent to endanger life on Monday, July 6.
They are due to be sentenced on Thursday, July 9 and Friday, July 10.
Mr Harker’s family have spoken of their “unimaginable heartbreak” following his death, and urged young people to turn away from gang culture, warning that urgent action is needed to prevent further tragedies.
In a statement, they said: “Our son had just turned 18 when these individuals decided to take his life. We are grateful that some measure of justice has been served, but no amount of time they spend in prison will ever be enough for us. We have been left with a lifetime of pain and loss that can never be undone.
“We hope this case opens people’s eyes to how damaging gang culture has become for young people. Too many children are losing their lives, and too many families are being left to suffer unimaginable heartbreak. Something must change before more young lives are taken and more parents are forced to endure the pain that we now live with every day.”
Mr Harker’s family also expressed their gratitude to the police officers who led the investigation, as well as to their Family Liaison Officer for their support throughout the case.
They also thanked members of the public who came forward with information in the pursuit of justice.
“While nothing can ever bring our son back, we hope that his story serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of violence and that it encourages people to help prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreaking loss,” the statement added.
The court heard the killing stemmed from a rivalry between two Enfield gangs, the 3×3 gang and Get Money Gang (GMG).
Jurors were told the murder of Harker followed an argument on Snapchat in which comments were made suggesting Popoola could not afford mobile data for his phone.
The Old Bailey also heard that, in the aftermath, gang members later boasted about the killing in drill rap videos shown to the jury.
After shooting Keanu the pair sped off toward Enfield Town Park, where they dumped the e-bike, discarded clothing and Etefia got rid of a machete in a neighbouring garden.
Eyewitnesses saw them walking away from the park, noting that both were wearing balaclavas despite it having been a hot day in June.
A woman saw that one of the men – who police later established from CCTV enquiries was Etefia – had stripped to shorts and t-shirt, and had a gun-shaped object in his pocket.
They were collected by associate Eliezer Mbaki in a black Ford Focus and driven away.
A then 16-year-old boy, who had been with the killers earlier in the evening, was sent to Enfield Town Park to recover the e-bike.
In the days after the murder, officers reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage from the area and were able to identify Etefia and Popoola as the men on the e-bike.
Footage showed both men speaking with friends at a sports court in Enfield Town Park minutes before the murder. Popoola showed off an item inside a plastic bag he was holding, which detectives believed concealed the gun that killed Keanu.
Within days of the shooting, Popoola travelled on a one-way Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris, with assistance from his girlfriend, 19-year-old Anais King.
Etefia separately booked his own ticket but was intercepted by police, who boarded the train and arrested him just minutes before its departure.
After Popoola arrived in the French capital, officers turned their attention to King, who was believed to be planning to join him.
Detectives monitored her travel to Paris, and French police later followed her to Popoola’s apartment, where he was arrested.
Popoola was subsequently extradited from France to London, while King was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Eliezer Mbaki, 25, Anais King, 19, and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were convicted of assisting an offender.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who led the investigation, said: “This is a tragic case that yet again demonstrates why our commitment to tackling serious violence is so important.
“Our painstaking investigation established that Keanu was murdered because his killers took offence to something that was said in a social media group chat.
“Rather than ignore the comments, Emmanuel Popoola armed himself with a pistol and with the help of Tayvon Etefia carried out a drive-by shooting. This was cowardly and disproportionate violence that has understandably shocked the community.
“We spent months building a comprehensive case against the killers and those who tried to help them, and I am pleased to have been able to secure justice for Keanu’s family.”
