This violence must end, pleads father after stabbing victim loses his 11-day fight for life
THE family of London’s latest murder victim today paid tribute to a “wonderful, caring boy” as their 11-day vigil at his hospital bedside ended.
Joshua Boadu, 23, was knifed multiple times after a clash with a gang on a Bermondsey street last Monday.
He was taken to hospital in a critical condition and had been on a life support machine at King’s College Hospital. His heart finally stopped beating early today, just after midnight.
Dozens of friends held a candlelit vigil on Tuesday in support of Joshua and his devoutly Christian family, who stayed at his side praying fo r a mi r a c l e recovery. His devastated father Frank said today: “He was a wonderful and caring boy. We believed there was hope and that he could pull through.
“He was a good family person, not involved in gangs or anything like that. He had so many friends who came to the vigil, he was extremely well liked. The violence on London’s streets must end. I don’t know why my son would be stabbed, we have no idea.”
His son, an apprentice lift engineer, went to St Joseph’s Catholic college in Norwood before studying business at SFX sixth form college in Wandsworth. His father added: “He had the chance to go to university, he had a place but wanted to get a trade under his belt. He fought hard for his life when he was in hospital.” The day after the stabbing Joshua and his family were due to fly to Canada for the trip of a lifetime.
His sister Lady, 22, said: “I lost my brother to a senseless act of knife crime... it’s not fair, put the knives down, it has to stop.” A friend said he was “one of the best people. He loved house music, was clever and loved by us all.”
Mr Boadu’s death was the 76th murder investigation to be launched in London this year and he is the 30th man under 25 to lose their life to violence.Nicknamed SJ, he was knifed on June 11 at 6.20pm in Linsey Street after an argu- ment among a large group of men and fled 100 yards to a block of flats in nearby Lucey Way. Detective Inspector Ian Titterrell said he was sheltered by a resident before paramedics arrived to battle to save his life. He appealed for witnesses to contact police.
No arrests have been made and the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command is still investigating.
Another murder inquirywas launched last night after a man in his 30s died after being found with a head injury in a flat in Page Street, Westminster — a few hundred yards from the Home Office. A man, 49, and a woman, 53, were held at the scene on suspicion of murder. Anyone with information should call 0208 721 4005 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.