Street murder brings teenage fatal stabbing toll to 14 in London this year
A 17-year-old boy murdered in a London street is the 14th teenager to be stabbed to death in the capital this year.
The boy, who has yet to be named, was found by members of the public but was pronounced dead at the scene in Holloway on Monday night.
No arrests have been made, but police believe they know the identity of the victim and have informed his next of kin.
He is the 14th person under 19 to be stabbed to death in the city - exactly two weeks after the previous reported case of Alfie Stone, 18, in West Ruislip.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the youngest during the string of fatal attacks this year was 15-year-old Alan Cartwright, who was killed on February 27 in Islington.
Also among the total of 18 teenage homicides recorded since January were Niyah and Neha Rethish Kumar, both 15, believed to be strangled by their father in March, Jerrell Elie, 17, who died of a head injury after he was hit by a car in August, and Nassem Galleze, 17, who died after a lump of concrete was thrown at his car.
Total knife crime offences resulting in injury across the city have so far risen by 270 cases in the last year, to 2,794 between January and September this year, compared to 2,524 over the same period in 2014.
While separate figures from the force show that there has not been a dramatic recent increase in "serious youth violence", which includes knife and gun crime among young people, a total of 600 cases were recorded in July this year - the highest number since the same time in 2011.
Last month, the Met told the BBC: "There has been a disturbing increase in the number of murders and stabbings, often with young black men the victims.
"We will do all we can to reduce knife crime, to tackle London's gangs and take more knives and weapons off our streets."
Operations are under way to crack down on the level of knife crime among young people in the city, including last month's Operation Spectre, which saw police seize over 120 knives and 50 other 'offensive weapons' and make 69 arrests over the half term week.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Any young life lost is one too many and far too many families have been devastated by the impact of knife crime. We are committed to doing all we can to reduce knife crime, to tackle London's gangs and take more knives and weapons off our streets."
The operation targeted young people through a social media campaign, while conducting high visibility patrols on estates and in areas where people were believed to be carrying knives.
The spokesman said: "All of the tactics we use are designed to make it harder of people to carry knives, or have them readily available to use in conflicts. This operation saw intelligence-led and targeted use of stop and search in areas with high levels of knife crime and gang violence.
"We will not stop in our efforts to remove knives from dangerous hands by proactively targeting known violent offenders and stopping and searching people to detect and deter the carrying of weapons."
On Sunday, the day before the most recent fatal stabbing, the families of other young people murdered by knife crimes gathered in central London to protest against the growing issue.
Officers from the Met's homicide and major crime command are still looking for information surrounding the death of the 17-year-old in Holloway this week and urge anyone with information to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
