


- Suspected that killing is related to drug gangs

- Victim named locally as Hani Abou El Kheir



A witness described today how a mob wielding knives and swords plunged a blade "into the ribs" of a teenager killed in Pimlico before running off "as if nothing had happened."

The witness also told how the hooded gang "jumped on him like a pack of dogs" before leaving the scene.

The boy fell to the ground and pleaded “don’t do it” before he was repeatedly stabbed by the gang, who were wearing hoods and bandanas, according to witnesses.

The boy, named locally as 16-year-old Hani Abou El Kheir, was treated at the scene in Pimlico by paramedics but died a few hours later at a south London hospital.

His mother was said to have been held back at a police cordon while her son was bleeding to death.

Tonight it emerged the teenager had become known to drugs intervention workers only last week. Hani was on the "periphery of having some sort of contact with gangs or activity such as drugs", a council drugs worker said.

His name had been passed to drugs workers and he was due to get a visit from outreach workers if it re-emerged.


The teenager's name had been flagged up to drugs workers on Wednesday, Mr Savizon, 34, said. "He wasn't deemed significant in terms of being in a gang."

Mr Savizon added: "It was more of a bookmark just to see where this young person was. Everything I have heard about him... he was a very timid young man."


Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "It is heart breaking to see the life of another young Londoner taken so tragically.

"My thoughts are with this young man's family at such a terrible moment.

"This horrific incident serves as an unwelcome reminder that although violent crime in the capital continues to fall, we must continue our fight to tackle youth violence and get knives off our streets."

Two witnesses described how the victim was running for his life when he tripped. He was then attacked by around 15 teenagers who stabbed and kicked him before leaving him for dead.




Scotland Yard said officers were called to reports of a stabbing in Lupus Street at 6.50pm. The boy was taken to a south London hospital but died at 8.45pm. He was the first teenager to be murdered in London this year.

Lupus Street remained cordoned off today as forensic experts examined the scene. The street, close to Pimlico Underground station, is yards from the gang-plagued Churchill Gardens estate and is home to Pimlico Academy.

On the north side of the street houses sell for millions of pounds but the south side of the street is taken up with the Seventies estate bordering the river.

Friends of the teenager, who lived on the estate, say he was a former pupil at the Academy.

One said he wanted to go to college. “He was a really calm, cool guy. I don’t know of any reason that anyone would have beef with him.”

Jerry Collins, Hani's former principal said: "The pupils and staff at Pimlico Academy were deeply saddened to hear about the death of our former student Hani Abou El-Kheir and extend our deepest sympathies to his family.



Another witness  22-year-old Teodor Watson, who lives in a tower block overlooking the scene, said he heard what sounded like a brawl. “I came outside just seconds after it happened because I heard a lot of commotion. I saw the victim standing and holding his stomach and about three or four young blokes running down the street.

“He was reeling and swaying and stumbling for about 20 seconds. He had his head down and was holding his stomach and then fell. People started gathering and calling the ambulance. He was white all the other boys who were running down street were white. They took a long time to stabilise him maybe 20 minutes, half an hour.

“They were giving him CPR. You could see the wound from up here. The wound was huge, I live on the fifth floor and I could see it from here. “

He said the victim was wearing jeans and a black waterproof jacket.


“He said they were carrying knives, some of them with wide swords. He said the victim was screaming and trying to get away,” he said.

There were reports that some members of the gang turned up at the estate in a Mini car.

Steve Russell, 46, a project manager who was visiting a friend on the Churchill Gardens Estate next to where the murder happened, said he saw the victim’s mother run up to the cordon as paramedics treated her son.

He said: “She was screaming with grief and shouting her son’s name but they wouldn’t let her through.“

The Churchill Gardens estate has become a drugs blackspot in the last year.






The area's problem with illegal substances is new, and it does not have a drugs background.

The murder comes after a series of incidents linked to gang crime on the Churchill Gardens estate.

Last year aspiring football coach Oliver Husseini, 17, was left fighting for his life after being stabbed in nearby Gloucester Street.

Just weeks later gunshots were heard on the estate.

The gangs issue will be top of the agenda at a meeting between Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and local councillors today.

Cllr Nickie Aiken, Westminster Council’s spokeswoman on community protection, said: “Once more we have seen the tragic blight that knife culture has inflicted on the capital.

“Our thoughts are with the family of this teenager and we will offer whatever help we can.”

Police said there had been no arrests.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


'Teenager screamed for his life as he was chased by sword gang'

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