Victim named following Plumstead murder

Formal identification has yet to take place but officers are satisfied the victim was Rene Richardson, 24, from SE18.

Police continue to appeal for information and witnesses to come forward. 

Police were called at around 16:30hrs on Monday, 10 April to reports of a man stabbed in Bournewood Road, SE18.

Officers, London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended and found the man, aged 24, suffering stab wounds. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene. His next-of-kin have been informed and formal identification will take place in due course.

A post-mortem examination is taking place today, Wednesday 12 April, at Greenwich Mortuary.

Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) are investigating.

At this early stage it is believed the victim was approached by two males in Grasdene Road, Plumstead, before he was attacked.

The victim then made his way to Bournewood Road where he collapsed and an ambulance was called.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, 11 April a 23-year-old man was arrested at an address in Bognor Regis, Sussex on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody at a south London police station.

Detectives are still trying to trace a second man, described as a black man, wearing a white t-shirt who was seen to leave the scene of the attack in a BMW sports car. 

Detective Inspector Will Reynolds, of the HMCC, said: "Whilst an arrest has been made I would urge anyone with information or witnesses to this incident to speak to us as soon as possible.

"I am particularly keen for the man seen leaving the scene in the BMW vehicle to come forward and make himself known to us. We believe he may hold vital information." 

Mile End stabbing: Third young man knifed to death in London in space of 24 hours

A young man has been knifed to death in the third fatal stabbing in London in just 24 hours.

Police say a 20-year-old was stabbed in Wager Street, Mile End, at around 4.45pm on Tuesday.

He was rushed to hospital by paramedics but died around an hour later from his injuries.

Witnesses said the victim had been stabbed near his home and collapsed in the street.

Family members and neighbours ran out to help the young man as he lay in the road, it is claimed.

One witness told the Standard people were desperately trying to give the victim mouth-to-mouth in a bid to save his life before emergency services arrived on the scene.

He said: "Many people were trying to help, shouting and crying."

Another neighbour said: "All we heard was a lot of screaming and then a car sped off with tyres screeching."

Footage published on social media showed a group of residents and distressed family members desperately trying to help the stricken man as he lay on the ground beside a car.

Detectives believe the man was with friends in Wager Street before he was approached by a group of men and stabbed.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He is currently being quizzed by detectives at an east London police station.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Lynes, from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "We are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at that time and might have seen what happened or who has any information about the circumstances."

Young father shot dead at music studio was turning his life around

A YOUNG father shot dead by a gunman in Archway on Saturday was trying to turn his life around after converting to Islam in prison, it has been revealed.

David Robinson, 25, also known as Dawood, was shot numerous times, including in the head, in what police have described as a “cold-blooded” attack at a music studio in Sunnyside Road. 

Police believe an altercation that began inside the relatively unknown Big House 101 music studio just before 9pm resulted in the father-of-one being shot at point-blank range.

“This was a cold-blooded, very calculated and targeted attack,” said Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, who is leading a 25-strong murder squad from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command. “Somebody has targeted him for a specific reason.”

Witnesses described paramedics battling to save Mr Robinson’s life. He was taken to the Royal London Hospital, in Whitechapel, but was pronounced dead just after midnight. 

Mr Robinson, who lived with his mother and brother in Barnsbury, grew up in the borough and was a former pupil of Islington Arts and Media School. He has a young daughter with an ex-girlfriend who lives in Leicester.

Flowers were left at the scene of the murder this week as friends took to social media to express their grief. Jordan Buitrago wrote: “RIP Brother Dawood AKA Monkey, can honestly say he was one of the nicest brothers I ever met and he always took time to help you if you was in need Mashallah. May Allah Reward him.”

Another woman said: “Omg can’t believe what I just heard RIP Monkey another life gone and taken too young.”

The Tribune understands Mr Robinson was linked to gangs in his late teens and had a number of convictions for violence, drugs and knife possession. He was jailed for 18 months and given an anti-social behaviour order for his part in a street brawl in 2011.

However, he converted to Islam while in prison and had been trying to break away from his criminal past following his release, finding a new, positive direction in religion and spoken word poetry.

He frequented the studio – based at the former shop of a petrol station, part of which is now occupied by a car wash – to record “nasheed” music. Lyrics of the chanting music, either sung a cappella or accompanied by percussion instruments, usually make reference to Islamic beliefs, history and current events.

A man in his 20s who works close to the scene of the murder said this week: “What people are saying is that he came from prison, where he became a Muslim and changed his name to Dawood.

“On the night apparently there were a lot of boys on a nearby estate drinking and getting high in the garden bit of the estate while he was doing his music. They must have known he was here and they moved here. One of them had a gun and just used it. There were a lot of boys.

“Apparently he was saying: ‘Stop! I’m not getting involved in this kind of stuff anymore.’ Then they shot him three times.”

The man added: “I’m thinking because of his past maybe someone wanted to take revenge. Even though suddenly now he’s a changed man.”   

Police believe that on the night he was killed Mr Robinson had gone to the studio to meet someone. 

Detectives said they are pursuing “all lines of inquiry” in the search for a motive. They are not sure whether the shooting was the result of an argument that got out of hand or the tragic consequence of a long-standing grudge between victim and killer. 

“We believe he [Mr Robinson] went to the studio to meet someone,” DCI Whellams added. “We believe David was involved in an altercation that began inside the music studio. That altercation resulted in him being shot.

“We know there were people in the area at the time, both inside and outside the venue, and would like to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious or who has any information about what happened.

“If someone has seen something, even if they think it’s not important, we would like them to come forward and they can speak to us in confidence.”

The Big House studio, which opened in February of last year, remained closed this week as police guarded the scene. The building had previously been a pottery shop. 

Oliver Tetlow killing: Mother’s emotional plea a year after son gunned down in Harlesden street

The mother of a man shot dead with a machine gun in a case of mistaken identity has begged witnesses to the killing to come forward.

Oliver Tetlow was killed in a drive-by shooting in Harlesden a year ago today when a man fired a spray of bullets before jumping into a black coloured vehicle which sped away from the scene.

The 27-year-old died at the scene from gunshot wounds.

His mother, Pamela Humphrey, has issued a heartfelt plea to those who may have information about the person or people responsible for killing her son, as a £10,000 reward was offered by Crimestoppers.

Describing the murder as “senseless” and “tragic”, she said: "We have lived through a terrible year of grief and sadness, having a talented young man with so much to look forward to in life torn from us.

"Every day I miss my son, my family miss him, Oliver's friends miss him, every day we think of him, every day we all grieve for him. Our pain goes on.

"Despite all the efforts by the police, CPS and courts, so far no convictions have been made. We continue to pray that justice will be done and although it will never lessen the loss we feel, it will bring some small comfort to relieve our suffering, our pain, our grieving.

"Please, please help us. Some witnesses have already come forward and we admire them all for their courage. Those who haven't felt able to come forward before, please help yourself; release yourself from the terrible burden you carry.

"With love and hope in our hearts, in memory of our forever loved and always remembered Oliver."

Her plea came as detectives revealed they are on the trail of the deadly Skorpion machine gun involved in the killing after it was smuggled down from Manchester for use in the attack.

Detectives believe the that the firearm was returned back to Manchester on the night of the shooting.

Officers say the weapon fetches between £4,000 and £5,000 on the black market and criminals would have been reluctant to dispose of the weapon.

Question: Where's the money coming from to buy £5,000 worth of machine gun?

'Mistaken ID' Oliver Tetlow murder trial collapses

The Old Bailey trial of two men accused of the murder of a 27-year-old man in north-west London has collapsed.

Mohamed Siamino, 20, of Acton and DJ "CBiz" David Osadebay, 30, of Harrow, were charged with the murder of Oliver Tetlow.

Mr Tetlow was shot dead in Harlesden in March 2016 in a case of mistaken identity.

The jury was told the prosecution was offering no evidence.

Not guilty verdicts were entered on the direction of the judge.

Two other defendants in the same trial - Romarne Young, 22, from Kilburn, and Jahmico Trott, 29, from Manchester - were both acquitted in December last year.

Judge Gerald Gordon said he had come to the conclusion there was not sufficient evidence for the trial to proceed.

Police said Mr Tetlow's death was a "tragic case of mistaken identity".

Mr Tetlow was shot multiple times with what was believed to be an automatic weapon. The firearm was not recovered.

Harlesden drive-by uzi execution happened on notorious gangland estate where Tulisa filmed music video

A drive-by gun execution happened on the notorious gangland estate where Tulisa filmed a music video, it can be revealed.

Oliver Tetlow died after being shot from the window of a blacked-out hatchback on Church Road in Harlesden, North West London, last night.

Witnesses reported hearing up to six bullets being fired in rapid succession at around 10pm.

The victim, understood to be a man in his 20s, died at the scene.

Police confirmed they believe a "high-powered" weapon, rumoured to be an uzi, was used to carry out the killing.

Detectives have launched an investigation into the "shocking" murder amid claims it was sparked by a dispute between two rappers over some stolen jewellery.

It's the latest in a grim act of violence linked to Church End housing estate in the heart of Kilburn, an area among the worst-affected by gun crime in London.

In 2012, Reece James-Menzies - said to be part of the Church Road Soldiers (CRS) gang - was killed with a sawn-off shotgun.

The 21-year-old, also known as Stylie or Stylez, was blasted in the face from point-blank range while visiting a flat in Bournemouth in what police described as a "premeditated attack".

A few months earlier, James-Menzies and the rapper Nines had appeared in a controversial music video made by Tulisa on the estate.

The then-X Factor judge was seen making a 'C' gesture in images which surfaced from the video which is believed to no longer be in circulation.

The singer denied the symbol was a reference to the CRS gang and insisted it was a tribute to her home borough of Camden.

A spokesperson for the singer also added at the time that although James-Menzies had appeared as an extra in her video she had never met him.

And in 2008, Wayne Freckleton, another suspected CRS gang member and the brother of rapper Nines, was killed in a barbershop shooting.

Freckleton was rumoured to be responsible for the deaths of Mohamed Korneh and Selorn Gbesemete, both 21, during an anti-gun crime concert at Southall's Tudor Rose nightclub in December 2002.

Femi Forde, 25, and Richard Osborne, 27, both from Harlesden, were convicted of the murder at the Old Bailey.

They were each jailed for a minimum of 30 years.

2017: STAB VICTIM DEATH Father-of-two dies five days after ‘unprovoked’ double-stabbing in trendy London street sparking murder probe

A STABBING victim has died five days after being attacked in a trendy north London street sparking a murder investigation.

Jonathan McPhillips, 28, was one of two people stabbed in Islington’s Upper Street just after midnight on Saturday.

While cops and paramedics treated him, they were alerted to reports a 17-year-old boy had also suffered knife injuries nearby.

The teenager has since been released from hospital but Mr McPhillips, also known as JJ, died earlier today.

It is understood that Mr McPhillips was a father to two young girls, aged two and four.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “A post-mortem examination is scheduled to take place on Friday.

“The second victim, a 17-year-old male youth was also taken to an east London hospital and has since been discharged.

“There have been no arrests at this time and an investigation into the incidents is ongoing.

Friends of Mr McPhillips have expressed their shock on Facebook.

One said: “RIP JJ, forever in our hearts.”

Another said: “RIP JJ cannot believe another stabbing has taken another good person.

“What is this world coming to.”

A family friend said: “It’s very sad to say the least. Grief (and) pain for nothing, leaving two baby girls aged 4/ 2 years.

“Wrong place, wrong time. I’m lost for words, this is the state we’re in and it’s going to get worse.

“This could have been anyone of us.”

2017:Police name woman stabbed to death by brother in Wolverhampton

A woman who was stabbed to death by her brother, who later turned the blade on himself, has been named as Ann-Marie James, the 33-year-old sister of the attacker.

Her mother, 59, is fighting for her life in hospital, West Midlands police said.

Melvin, whose full name has not been given by police, attacked them in a first-floor flat in Merry Hill, Wolverhampton, on Wednesday morning.

Following the confrontation, the 36-year-old died from what were believed to have been self-inflicted wounds, the force said. A postmortem examination found he died from multiple stab wounds, while his sister died as a result of a stab wound to the chest.

Their mother has undergone surgery after being taken to hospital with serious abdominal stab wounds, but remains in a critical condition. 

Armed police used stun grenades to distract the attacker as they stormed the 16-storey block. One officer who responded to reports of the attack at 9.45am received a small knife wound to his arm and another sustained a leg injury. 

Det Insp Warren Hines said: “The family are absolutely devastated at the loss of Ann-Marie and Melvin, two people who were really dear to them. They have asked that their privacy is respected so they are able to grieve at this difficult time. My thoughts remain with the family”