Crime scene: officers were quick to attend the stabbing on Wellesley Road, but despite attention by paramedics were unable to save the girl’s life
A 15-year-old girl was stabbed and killed while travelling to school this morning.
Police were called at about 8.30am, and office workers nearby looked on in horror and disbelief as squad cars, Met vans and ambulances arrived at the scene on Wellesley Road in central Croydon, close to the entrance to the Whitgift Centre.
Early and unconfirmed reports suggest that the girl was stabbed in the neck.
The Metropolitan Police say that they have made an arrest. The suspect, a male teenager, is believed to have been known to the victim.
The Metropolitan Police said it had worked with British Transport Police to “track” the teenager.
A police helicopter continued to patrol the area above the town centre for more than two hours after the incident was called in.
Fast response: Wellesley Road was quickly filled with police and ambulance vehicles
Croydon’s Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, said: “Our immediate thoughts are with this young girl’s family who are facing the most tragic of news. Our officers are with the girl’s family to support them.”
Brittain said that the community “are clearly as concerned as we are about this tragic incident”.
He said: “My officers were immediately on scene to provide first aid and support paramedics.
“Acting on information provided to them, officers also worked closely with colleagues from across the Met and the British Transport Police to track a teenager in connection with the stabbing. I can confirm that an arrest was made at about 09:45hrs in the Croydon area. At this early stage we believe that he may have known her.
“A crime scene will be in place for some time, and I am grateful for the cooperation of residents.”
- Anyone who witnessed the attack or has information that can help officers is asked to call police via 101 quoting reference CAD 1601/27Sep. To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
- UPDATE: This article was amended at 12pm to clarify the location of the knife attack.
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Welcome to Croydon. I was wondering why the helicopter was up. RIP little girl. Get rid of the ban on stop and search.
Rest in peace angel, my heart goes out to her family a poor innocent girl with her whole life ahead of her taken away.
In May, Chris Philp MP tweeted “we will continue to support police forces taking strong action against people who sell, buy and carry dangerous knives”.
In July, Croydon Tories tweeted that “Labour let Croydon’s Public Space Protection Orders lapse – but Mayor @JasonForCroydon has brought them back to support police where needed.”
In August, Philp sucked up to the hate-mongering Home Secretary by tweeting “A good summary from @SuellaBraverman of our work in the last year or so:
– Record ever Police numbers
– Reductions in crime”
Today we learn that a 15-year-old girl was murdered on her way to school.
That’s two days after a man in his early 20s was stabbed near Croydon College.
It took 7 years and 100s of victims before the Tory government finally decided to ban the sale of “zombie” knives, but carrying one will only have a maximum sentence of just 2 years in jail.
The Home Office press release issued at the end of last month said, at the very end, “The measures will be legislated when Parliament allows.”
The Tories defunded the police, allowed the Met to become a cess pit of corruption, misogyny and racism, and are doing nothing to stop young people being murdered.
Instead of fighting crime, we see the Mayor of Croydon and the local Tory MP effectively orchestrating and condoning attacks on CCTV cameras.
The Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire should tell us where all these 3,217 “extra police” he proclaimed back in January are actually working in London.
Either that or resign
It happened just opposite two of the biggest Home Office sites, Apollo House and Lunar House
We have seen too many of these tragedies in our town. We do need to take deadly weapons off our streets but if we really want to tackle the problem then we need to tackle the underlying culture of violence, particularly amongst men and particularly against women and girls.
Macho politicians dressing up in police uniform or stab vests as they demand more laws and more powers for the police are not helping, and actually making matters worse. Instead we need to change the culture where violence is seen as the normal course of action. We need to show and provide different models of behaviour.
That’s far more difficult than typical political knee-jerk reactions. It needs sustained long-term investment in community work and schools, working with victims and former perpetrators of violence and doing the hard work of changing attitudes – particularly amongst young men but also their elders who need to be better role models.
None of this is easy but for the sake of our children and generations to come we need to do it. We need to support those who have already started the hard work, expand that work to more people, and most of all look at our own attitudes and behaviours and question whether we are being the role models that our children deserve.
Not helpful to politicise this Peter or make it a men versus women issue with with your questionable comment about ‘macho politicians’. I’d hoped for better from you.
Sure, the authorities need to work with local communities and we need to invest in resources to support anti-crime initiatives. Changing attitudes is important.
But we also need to deter young people from carrying weapons. If they know that there is a high chance that they will be stopped and searched, and that if a weapon is found on them there is a likelihood they will go to jail (or to the appropriate young person’s institution) then far fewer of them will take the risk.
Just a thought Peter – Croydon’s much-feted singer, Stormzy, often appears in a stab vest and is known for his violent lyrics. He’s a role model who doesn’t seem to realise the effect his image is having on youngsters
Stormzy appeared on stage in a stab vest, designed by Banksy, ONCE. It was art, so you wouldn’t understand.
And he is not “known for his violent lyrics”.
Finger on the pulse as usual, Chris.
wow, so much ignorance in one comment. Stormzy lyrics are overwhelmingly positive. He also does alot for social reforms.
This is a tragedy. That poor girl has lost her life. The reasons may become apparant later, but they are not at this time.
It has nothing to do with Perry, Old Palace, Stop and Search, Stormzy, anyones politic’s, Politicians etc.
It may have reasons for societys failures to prevent these things.
So perhaps later as a community we can begin to understand the hows and whys and work with the Police and the Councillors to get a consensus of useful actions that can take place to all tackle the issues this town has.
But today It definitely has to do with the reasons the person had in carrying a machette/ knife or whatever he used, and his mentality to use it on a defenceless young girl with her future ahead of her.
It is the Metropolitan Police officers job to get to the bottom of that- we should let them get on with it and assist where we can.
That poor girl is no longer alive. Our condolances to her family, friends, and school friends
We have lost too many of our children in this unhealthy environment that has been created.