Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was stabbed to death outside a tube station in east London.
Officers were called at 10.35pm on Friday night following reports of a knifing outside Bethnal Green underground station. They found a 31-year-old man who had collapsed on the forecourt of a petrol station on the junction between Old Ford Road and Cambridge Heath Road. The man, named locally as Luther ‘Beanz’ Edwards, was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead an hour later. His next of kin have been informed.
Police believe he attended a boxing event at York Hall on Old Ford Road before an altercation with a number of people took place. No arrests have been made. The homicide and major crime command are investigating.
Detectives are said to be keeping an open mind regarding any motive, but have issued an appeal for witnesses. Anyone with information should ring the incident room on 020 8345 3715, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at Crimestoppers-uk.org.
Murders remain a relatively rare crime in Britain, although the number of homicides in England and Wales rose by 71 to 574 in the 12 months to September 2015. The 14% increase was fuelled by rises in knife and gun crime, according to the Office for National Statistics figures.
The rise in the number of homicides brings to an end a decade in which the murder rate in England and Wales has been falling despite the continued growth in the population.
