A 17-year-old boy has been stabbed to death on a north London estate.
Officers sealed off part of the New River Green estate, Islington, after London’s air ambulance arrived at the scene shortly after 6pm.
The boy, whose identity has not yet been released, was rushed to hospital in an ambulance but died shortly after arriving. Police believe they know who he is but are still in the process of contacting his next of kin.
The death will be investigated by detectives from the Metropolitan police’s homicide and major crime command unit. A spokesman confirmed the Met were looking for a suspect or suspects.
“At this early stage, officers retain an open mind as to any motive. There has been no arrest,” the force said in a statement.
Emergency services were called to the estate after 999 reports of the stabbing. Holly Alsop, a 29-year-old journalist who lives near the scene, told the Evening Standard she saw the injured boy.
“It was a young guy with what looked like multiple stab wounds. I heard the chopper so went outside and saw from my balcony directly below me,” she said.
“There’s loads of gangs with young kids on bikes round here. There were loads of people gathered around, families, lots of kids. There’s a big sense of community.”
There is too much knife crime in Islington @EmilyThornberry, a kid has just been hurt on our estate. Our community is better than this!
— Holly Alsop (@ziggytalks) June 10, 2015
Sad day, young guy just got stabbed and helicopter landed in the middle of Marquess estate @islingtongztte @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/k01EE2ZkvB
— Darren Ghoumrassi (@SoulDazzer) June 10, 2015
What is going on in my manor of late? Fatal stabbing in Islington - Metropolitan Police http://t.co/WKg8n08Pko via @mynewsdesk_uk
— The Girl That Cried (@TearsSoPurple) June 10, 2015
The New River Green area, formerly known as the Marquess estate, has long been notorious for violent crime and vandalism.
It won architectural awards when it was opened in the 1970s, but its intricate layout, designed as a “village in the city” made it difficult to police and frightening for residents.
The estate gained such a poor reputation that Islington council changed its name and tore down hundreds of homes as part of a £56m regeneration scheme.
