A night of knife violence in Kentish Town last night saw two young men killed, and another suffer stab injuries.

Ham & High: Victim Abdikarin Hassan, who was fatally stabbed in Bartholomew Road in Kentish Town. Photo by: PRESS ASSOCIATIONVictim Abdikarin Hassan, who was fatally stabbed in Bartholomew Road in Kentish Town. Photo by: PRESS ASSOCIATION

Kentish Town residents are in shock after 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 on Tuesday night.

Three young men from the area have been stabbed to death in less than a week in an escalation in street violence.

Two were killed less than a mile away from each other.

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

Ham & High: A teenager was stabbed to death in Bartholomew RoadA teenager was stabbed to death in Bartholomew Road (Image: Archant)

He died yards away from tributes to Lewis Blackman, who was killed in Kensington on Sunday.

His mother saw him lying on the floor as he died, after realising he was the victim of the attack, 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.

“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.”

Ham & High: Malden Road (Picture: Google)Malden Road (Picture: Google) (Image: Archant)

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.

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.”

Hours later, police were called to Malden Road, near the junction with Marsden Street.

They found a man, named locally as Sadiq Aadam, believed to be in his 20s with serious stab injuries. He was also pronounced dead at the scene.

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 reacted to the deaths. “It is appalling and deeply sad that these two young people have lost their lives in these circumstances, in the very midst of our communities. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families and everyone who knew these young men. Camden Police are providing specialist support to the families of the victims.

“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.”

Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, 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.”

It has been announced extra police are being deployed on the streets of Kentish Town in the wake of the attacks.

Detectives from the Homocide and Major Crime Command have launched separate murder investigations. There have been no arrests in connection with Tuesday’s deaths.

The stabbings follow the killing of Kentish Town teenager Lewis Blackman in Kensington, last weekend. He also lived on the Peckwater Estate.

He was pronounced dead at the scene in the early hours of Sunday morning, after police responded to a large number of cars in Logan Place, Earls Court.

A teenager who was arrested near the scene of the stabbing has since been released.

Anybody with information about either incident can contact police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.