Pictured: Victim knifed to death in Kentish Town who mother watched die

Police forensics officers at the scene in Bartholomew Road. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

A mother watched her young son lie dying in the street after realising he was the victim of one of two fatal knife attacks in London.

The first victim, 17-year-old Abdikarim Hassan, was found with knife wounds in Bartholomew Road at about 8.30pm on Tuesday.

His mother saw him lying on the floor as he died, after realising he was the victim of the attack when she called his mobile phone and heard it ring, neighbour Layla Awod said.

“She said (to the police) that jacket looks like her son’s and can she have a look if it’s her son and they refused,” Ms Awod said.

A teenager was stabbed to death in Bartholomew Road (Image: Archant)

“She called his mobile and it was ringing and that’s when she realised that it was her son, and they refused to let her in.”

Speaking on the Peckwater Estate, she said the boy was on his way back home from college when he was stabbed.

He came to the UK from Somalia when he was two years old and was the eldest of six children, his uncle Yusuf Ahmed said.

Abdikarim was a college student and was a “good guy” who was “always smiling” and liked playing football, he said.

Officers were called to Malden Road, near the junction with Marsden Street, soon after the first fatal stabbing. Picture: EMILY BANKS (Image: Archant)

He described his nephew as “very helpful”, adding: “He was helping his mum, whenever he was off from college, he was taking his siblings to school.”

Abdikarim’s aunt Fatima Deria said: “It’s very unfortunate - 17 years old - it’s sad.”

Speaking on behalf of mother Shamso Mohamed Ahmed, Ms Deria added: “She said she came here for their safety, to flee from home. But he’s not safe is he? He’s dead.”

Mr Ahmed added: “This is where he lost his life, not back home.”

In Malden Road police found Sadiq Adan Mohamed with serious stab injuries. He was also pronounced dead at the scene. Picture: EMILY BANKS (Image: Archant)

Less than two hours later police were called to Malden Road and found a second man, believed to be about 20 years old, with serious stab wounds. He has been named locally as 20-year-old Sadiq Adan Mohamed.

A section 60 order - which gives police the right to search people when they believe serious violence will take place - was put in place overnight.

In a joint statement, responding to the deaths, Camden council leader Cllr Georgia Gould, Holborn and St Pancras MP Keir Starmer, and borough commander Nick Davies called the deaths “appalling and deeply sad.”

“We want to reassure every Camden resident that the safety of our communities is our highest priority and we are directing all of our attention and resources to keep you safe.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has requested an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service to discuss what can be done “to tackle the evil of knife attacks on Britain’s streets”.

Detectives are investigating whether there is any link between the deaths.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick called knife crime a “blight” on London and urged young people to think before carrying knives,

“Stop and think. Do you really want your life to end? or end someone else’s and waste your own life in prison.

“Whoever you are, if you have information, if you know another young person who is going out with a knife then help us protect them. Tell us. We will act,” she said.

Extra police have been deployed in Kentish Town after the attacks, and officers will be making arrests on Wednesday using stop and search and intelligence-led operations, she added.