Fares Maatou: 14-year-old stabbed to death in London was ‘nice person who loved life’

The teenager was still wearing his school uniform when he was stabbed to death in the street

A close friend described the stab victim as ‘really nice’ (PA)

Friends have been paying tribute to a 14-year-old boy after he was brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight in east London yesterday afternoon.

Fares Maatou died at the scene of the attack in Barking Road, Newham, while still wearing his school uniform, the Metropolitan Police said.

Two boys aged 14 and 15 have been arrested on suspicion of murder, while another 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incident.

A close friend of Fares described him as a “really nice” person who “loved life”.

The tearful 15-year-old, accompanied by her 33-year-old mother, neither of whom wished to be named, told the Press Association news agency: “He was really nice. He had nothing to do with the gang stuff around here.

“He would just be there for you. If you ever needed him he would be there. He was happy. He loved life.”

Her mother said her daughter had been left “heartbroken” by her friend’s murder, adding: “She hasn't stopped crying since she found out.”

She said her daughter had been friends with Fares since nursery and described him as a “lovely kid” and a “normal teenager”

“I'm heartbroken seeing her upset. I can't imagine what his parents are going through,” she added.

Police were called to the incident shortly before 4pm, where the teenager was found with stab injuries believed to be inflicted with a “large bladed item”.

Despite the efforts of the emergency services he was pronounced dead half an hour later. A post-mortem examination is still to take place.

Flowers left at the scene (PA)

A number of floral tributes and some balloons have been placed outside the Zzetta Soul Fired Pizza restaurant on Barking Road today.

A member of staff from the restaurant said a FedEx worker, an off-duty police officer and a woman had all rushed to the teenager’s aid as he lay in the street outside the restaurant.

“They were just shouting at him, ‘wake up, wake up, try to breathe’,” said the worker, who did not want to be named. “Three or four of us were all shouting loudly, ‘one, two, three’, so there was a rhythm for compression.”

He said it was “really bad” when Fares’s family arrived at the scene.

“I haven’t seen anything like this,” he said, adding that the family were “expressing their grief” and “crying”.

He said: “When the doctor announced him dead he broke the news to his sister and she almost collapsed.

“Looking at the family bonding I think he was a really loved one.”

Detective Chief Inspector Perry Benton, of specialist crime, said: “Fares’s family are, of course, absolutely devastated.

“I have assured them of my total commitment to bringing to justice those responsible for this senseless killing. They will be supported by specialist officers at every stage of what will be a terrible ordeal for them in the weeks, months and years ahead.

“We have already seen fantastic support and received a good deal of information from local people.

“I thank them for that, and ask anyone with information or any witnesses who have yet to speak with police to please come forward and tell officers what they know.

“We are piecing together the picture of what happened on Friday afternoon and every fragment of that picture will be crucial.

“Three boys have been arrested and they remain in police custody. This is a fast-moving investigation and there will be further developments.”