Boy, 15, stabbed to death in second London knife attack in 24 hours

Police launch murder investigation after incident in Thornton Heath follows Peckham death

Police at the scene in Thornton Heath, south London, where a 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death last night (Jonathan Brady/PA)

A 15-year-old boy has been stabbed to death in London - the second teenager to be killed in a knife attack in the capital in less than 24 hours.

A murder investigation has been launched after the latest incident, which took place in Thornton Heath, south London, on Tuesday night.

The scene in Georgia Road, near the junction with Green Lane, has been cordoned off since the incident happened at around 11pm. It was the 15th fatal stabbing of a teenager on London's streets this year.

A forensic tent remained in place on Wednesday lunchtime while uniformed officers kept guard at the edge of the cordon in heavy rain.

Neighbours near the scene said they believed the death to be gang-related.

Nadir Sheikh, who has lived opposite the road where the stabbing took place for the last three years, said: “There are always a lot of kids hanging around in groups here. There was another incident here a few weeks ago so the police came around then too.

“I think there needs to be more police presence, surveillance, a way to stop this happening.”

Another neighbour said: “I was in my house and I heard a police helicopter at around midnight.

“I've seen on the news that it was a 15-year-old boy; it's just so sad.”

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before midnight.

Officers believe they know who he was but are waiting for formal identification and confirmation that his next of kin have been informed.

It follows the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man in Peckham, south-east London, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Police were called to a disturbance in Old Kent Road at around 2am and detectives believe the victim was involved in an altercation involving a large group of people outside a nearby venue.

Six people were arrested on suspicion of murder, although three have been released with no further action taken against them, while two were released pending police investigation. The sixth person remains in custody.

Witnesses have spoken of seeing the teenager “being mobbed” by a crowd.

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.50am.

Post-mortem examinations are due to be held for both teenagers.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's homicide and major crime command are investigating both murders.

The stabbings follow a spate of knife attacks in the capital this year, which has seen more than a dozen victims suffer fatal or serious stab wounds.

Anyone with information should call police on 101.

Press Association