Man stabbed to death at vigil for knife victim

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder, police say

Reece Young died on Tuesday night on Alpha Road (PA)

Police have named a man who was fatally stabbed at a vigil for another victim of knife crime in south London on Tuesday night.

Reece Young, 23, was stabbed to death in Croydon while two other men were also wounded during the same incident.

Police said Young’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

Emergency services were called following reports of a fight on Alpha Road where a small vigil was being held in remembrance of 19-year-old Tai Jordan O’Donnell who was killed in the same street on 3 March.

They were unable to save Young, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Crime scene tents were set up at the spots where each of the men were stabbed.

One resident told the Evening Standard that they could hear people arguing in the street just before the stabbings, saying: “There was a huge row... A man was shouting as well but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. It was very violent and aggressive.”

The Metropolitan Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

Police were called at 9.10pm on Tuesday to reports of three men fighting, but two had left the scene by the time officers arrived.

They later attended a south London hospital with stab wounds believed to have been sustained at the same incident. Both were arrested on suspicion of murder.

One man, 33, remains in hospital, where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The second man, also believed to be in his 30s, allegedly attacked NHS staff and officers while forcing his way out of hospital before being caught and remanded in custody on Wednesday, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Vandenbergh, who is leading the investigation, urged any witnesses to contact the police, saying: “We believe this incident was witnessed by a number of people. They had gathered for a small vigil in remembrance of another recent fatal stabbing victim when an altercation began.

“Some of those people have already spoken to police, but I believe there are others who captured images and video of what happened. I need those people to contact us immediately.

“The information they have could prove vital in establishing the chain of events that has led to a young man losing his life.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or tweet MetCC quoting CAD 7449/30MAR.