Ilford stabbing: Man, 20, knifed to death after street 'skirmishes'

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A young man was stabbed to death outside a busy station in the fifth fatal knife attack in London in just nine days.

The 20-year-old man was attacked in a fight outside Ilford Station just before 8.50pm yesterday, the 17th killing in the capital this year.

Medics and bystanders including schoolchildren battled to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene half an hour later.

The attack came amid a spate of stabbings across the city within 24 hours yesterday, including a knife attack in Green Street, Enfield, on a 25-year-old man who was gravely ill in hospital today.

Police at the scene of a stabbing outside Ilford Station
PA

Witnesses to the Ilford attack said two people were fighting outside the station and there had been a series of “skirmishes” beforehand.

The victim was stabbed to death after a series of 'skirmishes', witnesses said
PA

Zamirullah Stanikzai, 21, who works nearby, said he saw two men brandishing knives: “I saw people running up and down the station when I went out.”

Rafiullah Niazi, who runs Khan’s Communications phone shop, said: “We were closing and saw that two people had been fighting. One guy was on the floor and the other guy had run away.

Medics and bystanders including schoolchildren battled to save the victim but he was pronounced dead at the scene
PA

“One of the station staff, a lady, ran outside and tried to help him. We were watching them doing CPR but it didn’t work. Before the police arrived he passed away.

“He couldn’t say anything, he was hurt really bad.”

Mr Niazi said he believed the attack was connected to a turf war between drug dealers operating outside the station.

He added: “There is a big gang who sells drugs round there.

“These boys are carrying knives 24 hours. The gangs are round here not just from today. It’s a long long time.”

A 15-year-old girl told how she saw one of her schoolfriends covered in blood after trying to come to the victim’s aid in Cranbrook Road last night.

“I was on my way home when I saw a boy I knew from school,” she said. “He had blood on his hands. He said his friend had been stabbed and he tried to help him.”

Haroon Shah, 42, said: “There were people fighting, they were quite young and really going at each other. That was a bit earlier in the evening. The atmosphere around wasn’t good so I was not surprised there was a serious incident.”

A crime scene tent remained in place outside the station today with commuters forced to use a side entrance as forensic teams and detectives trawled for clues.

Mike Gapes, the MP for Ilford South, tweeted that he was “shocked and saddened” by the killing.

Scotland Yard said there had been no arrests.

In other incidents a 14-year-old was stabbed South Ruislip Tube station at around 4.25pm yesterday.

Witnesses described seeing the boy in school uniform “lying face down on the pavement” outside the station after being attacked.

Police said a boy aged 15 had been arrested.

An 18-year-old man was taken to hospital suffering “non life threatening” injuries after a stabbing in Romford at 6.30pm.

Any witnesses or anyone with information are urged to call police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.