Detectives investigating a fatal stabbing in Greenwich have named the victim as 23-year-old Reece Tshoma.
Officers were called at 20:37hrs on Thursday, 29 March to a south-east London hospital after a male attended suffering from a stab wound to his neck. He had been driven to the hospital in a car by a friend.
Despite the extensive efforts of medical staff the man died later that evening.
A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as a stab wound and internal haemorrhage.
On Tuesday, 3 April, he was formally identified as Reece Tshoma, from the Barking area of east London.
Detectives believe that Reece was attacked near Nathan Way, Thamesmead.
There have been no arrests at this stage.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Leonard of the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, said: “This investigation is ongoing and we are still piecing together exactly where and how the victim was attacked.
“Were you in the Plumstead area on the evening of 29 March? Did you witness a commotion or altercation, or see anything that seemed unusual, like a person or group of people running in the area? Any piece of information is useful to our investigation and I would urge you to call police immediately.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact 020 8721 4805, or call police on 101 quoting ref 7434/29 March.
Alternatively information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111.
Britain’s most senior police officer has blamed social media for the soaring rate of knife crime in the UK, particularly among children.
After 13 Londoners were killed in two weeks this month, and 6 this month already.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said websites and mobile phone applications such as YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram were in part to blame for the bloodshed.
Trivial disputes could escalate into violence “within minutes” when rivals set out to goad each other on the internet, Ms Dick said.
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“There’s definitely something about the impact of social media in terms of people being able to go from slightly angry with each other to ‘fight’ very quickly,” she told The Times.
One person stabbed to death every three days in London in 2018
She said that insults or threats online “makes [violence] faster, it makes it harder for people to cool down. I’m sure it does rev people up.”
She also compared the speed at which youths with no previous or very limited criminal record can become killers to the way some Islamic extremists become radicalised in a matter of days.
So far this year, 32 people have been knifed to death just in London and fatal stabbings in England and Wales are at their highest levels since 2010-2011.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick
It started with the murder of four young men during New Year’s Eve celebrations and has continued at a rate of one fatal stabbing every three days.
Teenagers as young as 17 are among the victims, while many more have been severely injured in a spate of violence that has sparked large-scale police operations and urgent policy changes.
If the bloodshed continues at the same rate, more than 121 people will be stabbed to death in the capital by the end of the year, a dramatic 50 per cent increase on 2017.
A man has died shortly after being stabbed in Plumstead on Saturday night.
Police were called just after 8.30pm to a south-east London hospital after the victim was driven there by a friend.
The victim was suffering a stab wound to the neck and despite the efforts of medical staff the 23-year-old man died from his injuries later that evening.
Police believe the victim was attacked in the Plumstead area, possibly near the railway station and was able to call a friend who was able to then drive him to hospital.
He was able to call the friend who collected him in his car and took him to hospital.
The victim’s next of kin has been informed.
A post-mortem has not yet taken place.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Leonard, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the murder investigation said: “This investigation is in its very early stages and we are still piecing together exactly where and how the victim was attacked.
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“Were you in the Plumstead area last night? Did you witness a commotion or altercation, or see anything that seemed unusual, like a person or group of people running in the area? Any fragment of information is useful to our investigation and I would urge you to call police immediately.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact 0208 721 4805, or call police on 101 quoting ref 7434/29 March.
Alternatively information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111.
The head of a boxing academy which helps young people stay out of gangs said today London’s youths are “desensitised” to violence as it emerged four of its members have been killed in the past year.
Jacob Whittingham, head of programmes for charity Fight For Peace, said murders of young people in the capital had become “normalised”.
Promise Nkenda, 17, was run over, chased and stabbed to death a mile away from his home in Canning Town.
He attended the boxing academy in Newham – which has received praises from heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua – along with other victims Jordan Ajobo, 21, Karim Samms, 16, and Corey Junior Davis 14.
KarimSamms was shot and killed last April
Mr Whittingham said: “The levels of knife and gun crime in London at present are completely intolerable, with young people in disadvantaged communities being disproportionately affected.”
Promise, a popular teenager and aspiring music producer who dreamed of working with Dizzee Rascal, was friends with Karim who was shot in the head and killed in April last year.
His family, including father Ndomingiedie Nkenda and sister Maludi Nkenda, said they believed Promise was “set up” and killed over a postcode rivalry.
Corey Junior Davis was shot in the back of the head in a playground
Mr Whittingham said: “We would not comment on whether or not Promise’s death was a result of a postcode war as it could have been a variety of things. It could be the result of a rival area. We don’t want to say that it was a gang either.
“The sad fact is it could be either one of those or a combination of all of them. What is shocking is the way it has become normalised. All of the young people seem to just accept it. They are desensitised.
“Promise was a big character at Fight for Peace and his presence will be sorely missed by all of those whose lives he touched.”
Jordan Ajobo was stabbed to death near London City Airport
The latest killing follows that of Mr Ajobo, who was stabbed to death after being ambushed near City airport in November.
Mr Ajobo, who coached at the club and was described a “peacemaker” and “role model” for younger members, was also instrumental in establishing a tribute wall to Karim.
Corey Junior Davis, from Newham, was shot in the back of the head in a playground on September 4 in what is believed to be a revenge attack over a stabbing at the Westfield centre.
His mother, Keisha McLeod, was trying to move him out of London because she feared he was being groomed by gangs.
Promise’s sister Ms Nkenda, 34, said the government needed to do more to combat the threat faced by London’s youngsters.
“Knife crime has gone crazy. It has to stop. My brother was too young to have his life ended in that way, he was just getting started.
“As soon as you hit 16 you are not safe. I’m scared for all the boys around here. No-one is free to live their lives or even to go to the shops.
“Promise was friendly, bubbly and down to earth. He never got into trouble. I can’t believe he is gone.”
His heartbroken father added: “It just needs to stop. I can’t even speak.”
A spokesman for the Met described Promise’s killing as a “sustained and possibly targeted attack”.
Extracted from a story in Evening Standard
Join the campaign by African Mothers Against Gangs And Knife Crime. let’s urge black youths to Drop the Knife and Stop the Killing
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