21 February, 2009

Family of London teenager stabbed to death say they are living in a 'bad dream'




Murders come just days after three youngsters were stabbed in the capital in suspected gang fight


Hassan Kul Hawadleh: Hassan Kul Hawadleh, was killed on a petrol station forecourt after being set upon by a group of five youths

The family of a teenager stabbed to death as he filled his car with petrol last night described their horror at the killing.

Hassan Kul Hawadleh was one of two teenagers killed in separate incidents in London on Thursday night.

The 19-year-old was attacked in Wealdstone, north London, shortly after 7.30pm when he was confronted by a gang of up to eight people on a petrol forecourt.

Another teenager who was with Hawadleh was also stabbed and police said he was in a stable condition in hospital last night.

Speaking from the family home in Colindale, north London, Hawadleh's sister, Ubed, described him as the baby of the house.

"We can't believe this, it is a mystery why it would happen … I'm still in shock, it feels like I'm living in a bad dream. Obviously we are all incredibly upset."

Three hours after Hawadleh was killed, an 18-year-old was discovered with stab wounds near a railway station in east London.

The 18-year-old was found by a member of the public near Maryland railway station in Stratford.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan police said the teenager, who has not been named, had been stabbed in the torso.

"He was taken to Royal London hospital but died shortly after arriving," added a spokesman.

Police said no arrests have been made in either case adding that postmortems were due to take place yesterday.

The murders happened a day after three teenagers were stabbed in a suspected gang fight in Chingford, east London.

The boys, aged between 16 and 17, were attacked in Kings Road on Wednesday.

Three teenagers have died violently in London so far this year.

Matthew Taylor and agencies
Friday, February 20, 2009

Source: The Guardian, Feb 20, 2009

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