2021: London teenage homicides reach highest level since records began

A total of 30 teenage homicides have occurred in London so far in 2021 - with two deaths occurring within an hour of each other just last night - December 30.

This surpasses both the 27 killings seen in 2017, which had been the highest in recent years, and the previous peak of 29 teenage homicides in the capital in 2008.

Records began in 2003, when there were 15 deaths.

Of the 30 homicides, 27 were as a result of stabbings while two boys were shot, and and one was the result of a suspected arson attack.

Sadly, teenagers in Islington and Brent in north London have been killed, along with teens in Newham, Romford and Ilford in east London.

Here is a list of the 30 victims this year:

• January 19: Anas Mezenner, 17, was found with stab wounds in West Green Road, Haringey, north London, shortly after 9pm. He was taken to hospital but died at 4.25am. The City and Islington College pupil had reportedly made an anti-knife crime video for a media studies course weeks before he died. Three teenagers were found guilty of killing him in August.
  

  Anas Mezenner was fatally stabbed on January 19. (Image: Met Police)

• January 25: Romario Opia, 15, was found stabbed in Holland Walk, Islington, at about 5.30pm. He was treated by police, paramedics and an air ambulance team but was pronounced dead at the scene less than an hour later.

  Community vigil for knife crime Romario Opia in Holland Walk 01.02.21. (Image: Polly Hancock)

  
  

• February 11: Hani Solomon, 18, from Wandsworth in south London, was killed during a fight between two groups of men shortly after 6.30pm in Ackmar Road, Fulham, west London. He was treated by police, paramedics and an air ambulance team but was pronounced dead at the scene less than an hour later.
• February 18: Drekwon Patterson, 16, from Wembley, north-west London, was stabbed in Preston Road, Brent, shortly after 11.30pm. He was taken to hospital but died the following morning.
• February 26: Ahmed Beker, 19, was stabbed in Paddington Green, west London, just after 9.10pm. He was treated by paramedics and an air ambulance team but died at the scene.
• March 3: Tai Jordan O’Donnell, 19, from Croydon, south London, was stabbed a number of times in the legs at a house in Alpha Road just after 12.10pm. He was pronounced dead within minutes of emergency crews arriving at the scene.
• March 6: Mazaza Owusu-Mensah, 18, died when he was stabbed in the chest during a fight in Edington Road, Abbey Wood, south-east London, at around 5.30pm.
• March 6: Ezra Okobia, 14, was fatally injured by fumes from a fire at his home in Russett Way, Lewisham, south-east London, shortly before 6am. He was taken to hospital but died four days later. His five-year-old brother Joseph Okobia and mother Victoria Amaning, 34, also died after inhaling fumes. Police believe Ms Amaning started the blaze.
• March 8: Nikolay Vandev, 19, was stabbed along with a second victim, aged 18, in Penshurst Road, Tottenham, north London, shortly before 2pm. Mr Vandev was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 18-year-old was taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening stab wounds.
• March 17: Hussain Chaudhry, 18, was stabbed in Lea Bridge Road, Walthamstow, east London, at around 5.20pm. Police and an ambulance crew attended but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
• April 10: Levi Ernest-Morrison, 17, was stabbed in Sydenham Road, Sydenham, south-east London at around 7.20pm.
• April 23: Fares Maatou, 14, was stabbed in Barking Road, Newham, east London, just before 4pm. Emergency services tried to save him but he was pronounced dead just over half an hour later. Two 15-year-old boys will go on trial next year for his murder.
• April 26 Abubakkar “Junior” Jah, 18, was found in Coolfin Road, Newham, east London, at around 3.45pm having been shot and stabbed. He died at the scene.
• May 7: Daniel Laskos, 16, was stabbed in Church Road, Harold Wood, east London, just after 6.40pm, during a fight. Ambulance and air ambulance teams tried to save him but he died at the scene.
• June 8: Taylor Cox, 19, was shot in Hornsey Rise Gardens, Islington, north London, at around 4.25pm.
• June 10: Denardo Samuels-Brooks, 17, was stabbed in Prentis Road, Streatham, south London, at around 4.15pm. He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
• June 11: Jalan Woods-Bell, 15, was stabbed in a fight at around 8.30am during the school run in Blyth Road, Hayes, west London.
• June 25: Tashawn Watt, 19, was stabbed in Miall Walk, Sydenham, south-east London, just after 9.30pm. He was treated by an ambulance crew but died at the scene.
• July 1: Camron Smith, 16, was stabbed in Bracken Avenue, Shrublands, Croydon, south London, at around 12.45am. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
• July 5: Tamim Ian Habimana, 15, was stabbed in Woolwich, south-east London.
• July 5: Keane Flynn-Harling, 16, from Lambeth, south London, was stabbed in Oval Place, south London, at around 11.45pm.
• July 9: Damarie Omare Roye, 16, was stabbed in Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, south London. He was taken to hospital but died two days later.
• August 1: Stelios Averkiou, 16, was stabbed at a skate park in Lordship Recreation Ground, Tottenham, north London, at around 2.15pm. He died nine days later.
• September 1: Alex Ajanaku, 18, was found in Beaumont Road, Leyton, east London, with shotgun wounds at around 1.30am. He was treated by police and paramedics but died at the scene.
• October 12: Hazrat Wali, 18, was stabbed to death in a playing field in Craneford Way, Twickenham.
• October 28: Kamran Khalid, 18, was stabbed to death in Harrow Road, Ilford.
• November 18: Jermaine Cools, 14, suffered stab wounds and died after a fight in London Road in Croydon. A murder investigation was launched after the incident.
• November 24: The Met was called to Raleigh Road in Southall at just after 9pm after reports of a stabbing following a fight involving a group of people. Officers attended and found 16-year-old Rishmeet Singh suffering stab wounds. He died at the scene a short time later.
• December 30: The Met was called to Ashburton Park in Croydon shortly after 7pm. Officers found a 15-year-old boy with stab wounds who died at the scene a short time later. The police have launched a murder investigation and confirmed it was the 29th teenage killing in the capital this year.
• December 30: The Met was called to Philpot’s Farm Open Space in Yiewsley, Hillingdon, west London, and found a 16-year-old boy with a puncture wound. He was pronounced dead at 8.25pm and a murder investigation was launched, making him the 30th teenage homicide in London in 2021, surpassing the previous peak of 29 in 2008.