UK: Knife crime worsens after four deaths in 24 hours

The UK’s most senior police officer warned tonight that there were no quick fixes for tackling knife crime, after four men were stabbed to death in Britain’s capital in less than 24 hours.

Ian Blair said his officers were doing “everything possible” to catch those responsible and help defend others from the same fate.

But the Scotland Yard chief said everyone must pull together and end the “unacceptable violence”.

Among the London deaths was a 19-year-old killed after a row at a bedsit, who became the 20th teenager to die violently in the city this year.

A fifth man was fighting for his life in hospital after he was stabbed in the back and stomach during a suspected domestic attack.

Elsewhere, police were questioning a man and a woman about the murder of a 20-year-old in West Bromwich.

Police also named a 25-year-old stabbed to death outside a house on Wednesday as Mark Beard.

Last week the Metropolitan Police announced a 75-strong unit dedicated to tackling knife crime.

It follows the introduction of an in-your-face knife sweep regime in May, with teams of officers swooping on high streets and transport hubs with metal detectors.

Ian said: “I want to reassure the public that the Met is doing everything possible both in terms of thoroughly investigating each case and in continuing to carry out proactive operations to get knives off the streets.

“The dreadful loss of life in just 24 hours graphically illustrates the need for everyone to pull together to put an end to this unacceptable violence.”

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: “I deeply regret that four Londoners have lost their lives in these tragic incidents. My thoughts are with the families of these men.

“We need to do all we can to address the long-term complex root causes of violence as well as ensuring the police are providing an effective deterrent to those who carry knives and guns.

“We are in this together and we all need to take responsibility. That’s why we are talking to the Government about bringing forward new measures next week that will help to address the underlying causes of knife violence.”

The grim knife death toll in London began at 2.30pm yesterday when police were called to reports of a fight at a bedsit in north London.

They found a 19-year-old victim suffering multiple stab wounds. He died later in hospital.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said a 26-year-old woman and 34-year-old man were arrested in connection with the attack.

Three hours later, at about 5.30pm, police were called to east London, where they found fatally injured Adnan Patel, 20.

The young Asian had been stabbed in a confrontation with a gang of men and crashed his black Ford Focus as he tried to escape.

Paramedics were called as passers-by tried to stem the bleeding but Mr Patel died at the scene. Four men were arrested nearby.

The third murder took place in north-east London, at about 8.30pm.

Police believe the victim, aged in his 20s, was stabbed in the head and chest as he walked up a stairwell towards a friend’s flat at about 8.30pm.

Officers are hunting a blood-soaked youth seen fleeing the scene wearing a white-face mask and hooded top.

Detective Chief Inspector Bob Mahoney said the suspect, aged in his late teens or early 20s, would have been in “an agitated state”.

Officers were alerted to the fourth victim after a member of the public walked into Tottenham Police Station at 4am.

The victim, 42-year-old Latvian Javengis Jaronis, was found suffering head injuries and slash wounds at the rear of a disused pub in Tottenham.

Two men and a woman were arrested nearby and were taken to police stations in north London.