Face of 18th teen stabbed to death in London this year
Knife crime is out of control, say family of carpenter murdered by moped gang
The devastated family of an 18year-old stabbed to death by a masked moped gang ‘for no reason’ yesterday said that knife crime was ‘out of control’.
Apprentice carpenter Jason Isaacs was on a night out with friends last Saturday when he was targeted by balaclava-clad knifemen on mopeds.
The group fled for their lives at 10.30pm, but the unarmed teenager became separated from his friends as he was chased by a four- strong gang on two scooters.
he became the 18th teenager to be stabbed to death in the city this year in what police described as a ‘truly horrific’ pre-planned yet unprovoked attack.
his assailants fled on their mopeds leaving him lying critically injured just yards from where his friend Abdullahi Tarabi, 19, was knifed to death in April. Mr Isaacs was rushed to hospital where he remained in a coma until he died on Tuesday. Yesterday his parents said that more should be done to stop the epidemic of knife crime.
‘We feel that knife crime in this area, and in London, is out of control and it must be stopped before another young life is taken, and another family has to suffer what we are suffering now. We need to educate young people early on around the dangers of carrying knives in public places.’
In a statement, they begged the public to identify those responsible for the senseless killing, saying: ‘We are pleading with the public to come forward and assist police in their enquiries to find out who murdered our son as we are currently living in a nightmare; our family is incomplete without Jason and will never be the same again.
‘We are devastated to have lost our beautiful son in such senseless circumstances. Jason was a kind and loving son and brother who adored his music, fashion and his beloved QPR football team. he was working hard as an apprentice carpenter, loved socialising and was a very popular boy.’
his mother Sharon Kendall said: ‘he died in the exact same spot his good friend was killed. he was a kid and deserved to grow up to be a man. Knife crime is not going to stop. It’s going to get worse, sadly, and there will be another grieving mother feeling my pain.’
In a Facebook post, Mr Isaacs’ father Steven announced his son had died, writing: ‘We all love you so much, thanks for being a great son, brother, cousin and friend to everyone. You made us all so proud. Love you like the big blue sky.’
The Metropolitan Police has announced a £20,000 reward for information that leads to the identification of those responsible for his murder in Northolt, West London. The footballmad teenager is the 23rd teenager to be murdered in London this year, 18 of which were fatal stabbings. The figure is already almost double the figure of 12 killed in the whole of last year.
Detective Chief Inspector Noel Mchugh, leading the inquiry, said Mr Isaacs was unarmed and not looking for trouble. ‘On the evening of his murder, Jason was planning to go to a party with four friends,’ he said. ‘They became aware of two mopeds, both with pillion passengers wearing balaclavas. Jason and his friends ran and the mopeds gave chase. It was at this point that Jason became separated from his friends, and he was brutally attacked. After the suspects left the scene, Jason’s friends went back to to find him mortally wounded. This appears to have been an unprovoked, pre-planned attack. Jason, who was unarmed and not looking for trouble, was stabbed multiple times with a large knife.’
Two days after the attack, a 17-yearold boy was arrested in connection with the murder. he has been bailed pending further investigation.
Mr Isaacs died within hours of another 18-year-old being stabbed to death in an unrelated attack in east London. Kacem Mokrane was stabbed in the stomach in Walthamstow in a suspected gang attack on the same night. Another 20-year-old man was in hospital after being stabbed and shot in Wood Green on Tuesday – and a man of 24 was fighting for life after a stabbing in Thornton heath.
Nationally there has been a surge in offences involving a blade or similar weapons, which rose 26 per cent to nearly 37,000 in the year to June, the biggest total since 2011.
‘Deserved to grow up in to a man’