Teenager stabbed to death while attending council-run knife awareness course for young offenders

The teenager stabbed to death at Hillingdon Civic Centre was attending a council-run knife awareness course for young offenders, police have revealed.

Hakim Sillah, 18, was killed after a fight broke out during the event in Uxbridge, west London, on Thursday.

The sixth-form student suffered a critical stab wound and died less than an hour after being airlifted to hospital. A 17-year-old boy was arrested and remains in custody.

Another 17-year-old, who was stabbed as he stepped in to break up the fight, was treated in hospital and has been discharged. Officers hailed his bravery as “amazing”.

DCI Noel McHugh, who is leading the investigation, revealed yesterday that the boys were young offenders and the Met Police confirmed they were attending a course designed to tackle knife crime.

He said he was not aware of any security present at the event or if the teenagers were searched for weapons. The knife used in the attack has not yet been recovered.

Selina Clarke, 18, from West Drayton, who went to secondary school with Hakim, said the council should have made sure there were no weapons being carried by people attending the course.

“They cannot have been searched properly otherwise they would have seen the knife,” she said. “It is so simple to put checks in place like a pat down or a metal detector that could have stopped it.”

DCI Hugh said: “It was a group session and a very quick altercation occurred between two individuals which resulted in one mail sustaining a knife injury which would cost him his life.

“My understanding is that it was a council event and there was no screening process but my understanding is that they would have carried out their own risk assessments. I wasn’t there, they may have done.”

DCI Hugh said the victim’s family were “absolutely broken” and that “it doesn’t feel real” for them.

Hakim, who was  “always smiling and positive”, played football for his school team and had been awarded an apprenticeship to become an electrical engineer, friends said.

Hillingdon Council told The Daily Telegraph: “The matter is being investigated by the police and we are unable to comment further at this time. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on social media: “Very sad news from Uxbridge last night. My thoughts are with the victim’s friends and family.”

via: https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/teenager-stabbed-death-while-attending-174330467.html

Photo Credit: SWNS