A teenage student was ambushed and stabbed to death at a convenience store in London’s eighth murder in 12 days.
Yusuf Mohamed, 18, whose family moved to the capital from war-torn Somalia to be “safer“, was knifed in the chest by one of two men who lay in wait outside Intercontinental Foods in Shepherd's Bush, west London.
According to a witness, the teenager put his arms up to show he was unarmed but was attacked with a long blade.
Yusuf fell backwards and stumbled into the 24-hour store as shopworkers tried desperately to help him.
But the killers followed him inside and are said to have stabbed him again as he tried to flee and hide in a basement.
His attackers fled following the attack at about 9.20pm yesterday.
Paramedics battled to save his life but he was pronounced dead within minutes.
Yusuf is London’s 61st murder victim of 2019 and the 11th teenager to be killed in a stabbing.
Witnesses told how his mother “collapsed in tears” after rushing to the scene in Uxbridge Road from her home.
Yusuf’s father Abdulahi Ulusow, 62, today said he was “heartbroken” by the murder of his Chelsea supporting son, who dreamed of being an engineer.
Mr Ulusow said he moved his family to the UK 20 years ago for a “better and safer” life, but told the Standard: “London is so dangerous now. Parents around here are losing children every day.
“The police need to catch these people before they kill another boy.”
He said the news was broken to him in a call from a relative.
Mr Ulusow added: “He was studying and dreamed of being an engineer. He was a good family boy, we are heartbroken. He had three brothers and a sister. He was a calm polite boy and never in any trouble. He was a funny guy, He loved doing imitations.
“He loved his football and supported Chelsea where he was born. This is beyond belief. I came here 20 years ago for a better, safer life.”
Muhomad Afzal, who has worked the shop for 30 years, said: “Two men were waiting for him over the road like an ambush.
“The kid was unarmed and put his arms up to say ‘what’s happening’ but one of them stabbed him in the chest.
“He was stabbed in the chest once and fell back in to the shop.”
A witness added: “I don’t know if the fight started somewhere else but he got stabbed outside the shop.
“He ran inside for cover and the attacker followed him. The poor boy tried to get down the stairs to the basement but he was stabbed again.
“They pulled him back upstairs to the shopfloor and the paramedics worked on him.”
Yusuf was a student at William Morris College in Hammersmith, according to Mohamed Abdulkadir, his former teacher at the Masjid Daar us Sunnah mosque in Shepherd’s Bush.
Mr Abdulkadir said he believed the death was sparked by a “petty feud” .
He told the Standard: “Yusuf was a quiet typical teenager.
“He wasn’t gullible and easily talked into things. He was never involved in gangs. I know his mum and she is very religious and would do anything for him.
“He was with his friends in a big group and tried to run away when he saw the knife.
“He was the closest guy to the knife but it could have been any of his friends. It wasn’t targeted.
“When a young kid dies, nine times out of ten it will be over something very petty.”
A woman who lives opposite the shop said: “I was told he was stabbed three times in the heart.
“His mum was here and she collapsed and was in tears.”
Last night dozens of friends and family members gathered at the scene of the stabbing.
A friend said: “He was going to university, why has this happened? He was so young.”
Scotland Yard launched a murder investigation but said there were no arrests.
The latest surge in violence began on June 14, when Cheyon Evans, 18, was fatally stabbed in Tooting, and Eniola Aluko, 19, was shot dead in a separate incident in Plumstead.
The next day, Gleb Zhebrovsky, 34, was fatally stabbed in Poplar. Giedrius Juskauskas, 42, died after a stabbing in Stratford on June 17.
On Tuesday last week, David Bello-Monerville, 38, was fatally stabbed in Barnet. On the same day, a homeless man in his forties died after suffering horrific burns in a fire in Wanstead.
Edward Simpson, 25, was shot dead in Feltham just after 11pm on Friday. Three men aged 22, 26 and 27 have been arrested.
Police imposed Section 60 powers across Shepherd’s Bush and Notting Hill last night to allow officers to search people for a limited period.
Detective Inspector Luke Wyllie from Hammersmith and Fulham Police said: “A young man’s life has been cut tragically short. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this very difficult time. We are doing everything we can to apprehend those involved.
“Extra police and specialist units are working on the ground now to build a clearer picture of what took place and work to protect and reassure those in the local community.
“I would urge anyone who witnessed what took place or anyone with information about those responsible to contact police immediately.”
Additional reporting by Barney Davis and Isobel Frodsham