Four fatal London stabbings in 24-hour period

FOUR people have been stabbed to death during a string of apparently unrelated murders in London during a 24-hour period, police said.

Scotland Yard confirmed the male victims – a 17-year-old, 18-year-old and a 20-year-old on New Year’s Eve, and a 20-year-old in the early hours of Monday – all died as a result of their injuries.

A fifth man remains in a critical condition following the New Year’s Day incident.

Five men have been arrested in connection with one of the deaths, the Metropolitan Police said.

Sunday’s stabbings took place in various locations across the capital – at 11.30am in Larmans Road, Enfield, 7.35pm at Memorial Avenue in West Ham, and 10.40pm in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill.

The New Year’s Day stabbing occurred at Bartholomew Court, Old Street, in the City.

Met Commander Neil Jerome said the incidents were not connected.

He added: “I am grateful to Londoners and visitors to the capital who co-operated with police – both at major celebrations in Westminster and at thousands of organised and private events across London – to enable the vast majority of people to enjoy New Year’s Eve.

“However, there were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences.

“It is heartbreaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons.”