A 20-year-old man, who is reported to have family in Brighton, has been stabbed to death in London.
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering Jason Junior Romeo who died after being stabbed in Bodney Road, Hackney, at around 6pm on Tuesday (18 February), the Metropolitan Police said.
Mr Romeo, also known as LD, received treatment from London Ambulance Service paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene.
A man at the scene, who said that he had known LD for years and was visibly upset, said that he “loved him like a brother”.
He said: “He was a good guy, he knew everyone. He was not a trouble-maker. In fact, if there was trouble, he would walk away.”
Locals said that the man had family in Brighton although he lived in the area.
A woman who said she was a family friend told the PA news agency: “What did he do to be dead?
“He’s like a family friend to me. To me and my son. My son is at home. I cannot even tell him that this boy is dead.”
She added: “The day before yesterday I saw him. He gave me a massive hug. Last night, I cried all night when I found out it was him. That he’s dead.”
The two men who were arrested are 23 and 25 years old, according to the Met, and they remain in police custody.
The death is the fifth fatal stabbing in London so far this year – and four of the five victims have been adult men.
The other was a 14-year-old boy, Kelyan Bokassa, who was stabbed about 27 times as he travelled home on a route 472 bus in Woolwich, south east London, on Tuesday 7 January.
The Home Office said that it was bringing in a number of anti-knife crime measures, including requiring retailers to report bulk or suspicious sales to the police.
Tougher sentences could mean up to two years in prison for those who sell weapons to children, including illegal blades such as zombie knives.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, who leads policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: “It is absolutely devastating for Jason’s family and extremely distressing for our communities that another young life has been taken away as a consequence of knife crime.
“We continue to work closely with our local community partners and Hackney Council to tackle the causes and effects of knife crime.”
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