The Metropolitan Police reported that the boy was found injured after officers received a call about disturbances on a residential street in Woolwich around 6:35 p.m. yesterday. The boy later died. An eyewitness stated that he heard the boy say, “Don’t let me die,” while he was lying injured on the ground.
No further details about the incident have been released, but the young man’s death comes amid growing concerns about the number of knife crimes and young people carrying knives.
In total, 50,510 knife-related crimes were recorded by police in England and Wales in the 12 months leading up to March, a 4% increase from the previous year.
Starting tomorrow, it will be illegal to carry a “zombie” knife or machete, with an amnesty and compensation offered for those who surrender them. The ban applies to knives with blades longer than 20 centimeters and those with serrated edges, which are often used by gangs.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer launched an initiative to prevent young people from getting involved in knife crimes, which he described as a national crisis.
