Boy, 17, stabbed to death after 'machete brawl involving 100 people'

A 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death and another teenager is fighting for his life after a ‘mass brawl with machetes’ broke out in east .

Detectives have launched a murder investigation and are calling on witnesses to establish what exactly happened.

Emergency services rushed to the scene following reports of a disturbance involving a large number of people in Bow, Tower Hamlets.

There are reports that the disturbance on Lichfield Road, E3, involved up to 100 people, some armed with machetes, following a dispute about uninvited people attending a party.

Officers at the scene became aware of two males, believed to be 17 and 18, with stab wounds from the attack that took place in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A spokesperson for Met Police told MailOnline: ‘At 00:09hrs on Sunday, 4 September police were called to reports of a disturbance involving a large number of people in Lichfield Road, E3

‘Medics from the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance attended. Both males were taken to an east London hospital.

‘Despite the best efforts of medical staff, one of the males – who is believed to be aged 17 – was pronounced dead at 01:54hrs.’

His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. 

Police also confirmed that the 18-year-old male remains in a ‘critical condition’.

One of the victims suffered a stab injury to their neck, reports. 

Officers and forensic teams have been pictured on the road which was cordoned off earlier today. 

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, who is leading the murder investigation, said: ‘This is a highly worrying incident that has left one young man dead and another fighting for his life in hospital. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends at this difficult time.

‘I also want to reassure them and the wider community that my team and I are working around the clock to establish exactly what has happened and who is responsible. 

‘I would ask anyone who witnessed this incident or may have information that could help our investigation to please get in touch with us and share what you know.’

This comes after a spate of attacks in Lawless London as pressure mounts on Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to better tackle the scourge of knife crime, which has surged over the past year as the UK exited the Covid pandemic.

Mr Khan said on social media shortly after the news of the stabbing broke out: ‘Violent crime tears families and communities apart. It has no place in London and I am determined to bear down on both violence and the complex causes of violence. Prevention and 우리카지노 early intervention is key to making London safer for all.’

However, it is not yet clear whether he was responding to the latest London attack. 

August saw six suspected murders in the space of four days in London including the fatal stabbing of veteran charity fundraiser Thomas O’Halloran, 87, while he was out riding on his mobility scooter. 

There have also been multiple others stabbed or shot across the capital in recent weeks as rival politicians call on the mayor to do more. 

Before backtracking 24 hours later, Mr Khan had tried to defend the high levels of crime in London by attributing it to longer days, school holidays and summer heatwaves.

But he later said: ‘One homicide is a homicide too many, and 우리카지노쿠폰 one victim of crime is one victim of crime too many, but I feel like over the last six years I’ve had one hand tied behind my back because of austerity.

‘We’ve lost 21,000 officers, the Government has now said it will replace them with 20,000 officers when our population has gone up.

‘We’ve had cuts in youth workers, in youth services, in after-school clubs, in services councils provide because of the choice made by the government and 우리카지노 it is Londoners who are caught in the crossfire.’