Tributes to father killed in stabbing after boxing match

A FATHER who was stabbed to death after a brawl among spectators at a boxing match spilled into a street “would do anything” for his daughters, neighbours said today.

Luther Edwards, 31, was chased from York Hall in Bethnal Green and knifed at least seven times in the chest on a petrol station forecourt on Friday.

The father of two, who worked as a delivery driver to support his young daughters, one of whom is severely disabled, was with his sister and friends when an argument flared after the final boxing match. Paramedics fought to save the former Lambeth College student’s life but he was pronounced dead in hospital at 11pm.

Last night, close friends and family members gathered at his flat near Clapham Common for a candlelit vigil.

Neighbours paid tribute to him and one said: “I grew up with him, everyone knows him in Stockwell. It sounds like a small argument broke out as he was supporting a friend in boxing, and it just escalated into a stabbing.

“His oldest daughter is severely disabled and everything he did was to care for her, he was so proud of both of them and worked so hard.

“He was a nice guy and was never involved in violence. He was always doing s o met h i n g c o n s t r u c t i ve o r encouraging other people to help themselves. I saw him as he left to go out that night, we are so shocked.” Michelle Robinson, a close friend of Mr Edwards — nicknamed Beanz — wrote on social media: “What a tragic waste of life. His poor daughters will never see their daddy again. Put down the knives, killing people is not what knives are meant for. We are losing a generation of young black men who will never realise their potential.”

Onlookers described a brawl among 30 people before several people stabbed Mr Edwards “seven or eight times”.

Another witness said: “I was travelling past on the bus and saw this massive crowd of people and flashing lights at the petrol station. You could see a man just lying there on the petrol station forecourt, surrounded by police and paramedics. It was horrific.”

Scotland Yard’s Homicide and Major Crime Command is investigating but no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8345 3715, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via Crimestoppers-uk.org.