The death of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, who was stabbed on the 472 bus on Woolwich Church Street in front of terrified passengers on Tuesday, has drawn the attention of the national media.
Keylan’s mum said she was not surprised when her son was killed, claiming he was groomed by gangs from the age of six.
“I feel hurt because I tried to prevent it. I’ve tried so many, so many times. I screamed it, I said ‘my son is going to be killed’,” Mary Bokassa said.
Keylan Bokassa, 14, was stabbed to death on the 472 bus in Woolwich (Image: Met Police) The tragedy took place the day after a Year 12 pupil of Shooters Hill Sixth Form College was left fighting for his life after he was stabbed on Prince Imperial Road.
But sadly violent crime is nothing new to Woolwich.
Since May last year the News Shopper has covered nine shooting and stabbing incidents in the area, with 11 people being shot or stabbed.
Just in September 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell was stabbed to death on Eglinton Road, three teenagers are charged with his murder.
His mum, Jodian Taylor, said Daejaun had “the biggest heart” and described him as “his brother’s keeper”.
Daejaun Campbell, 15, was stabbed to death three months before Keylan (Image: Met Police) Just two weeks before Daejaun was killed a man in his 20s was shot on Kingmans Street.
Earlier last year two group brawls took place in Woolwich in the space of a month.
On May 13 at around 4pm police were called to reports of a group of males fighting on Plumstead Road.
Officers attended and found no trace of any men but later a man in his 20s turned up at hospital with injuries which were not life threatening.
Then on May 31 police were called to Thomas Street to reports that a group of more than a dozen people were fighting with weapons.
Three males were found at the scene with stab wounds and 16 people were arrested.
Ten boys and girls aged between the ages of 13 and 15 were charged in relation to the incident including a 13-year-old girl who was accused of carrying a knife.
On the interactive map below we’ve detailed the nine shootings and stabbings which have taken place in Woolwich since the beginning of May.
Locals told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) knife crime is a real problem in the area.
Saqib Mushtaq, 27, the manager of a cosmetics shop on Powis Street, said many people feel too uneasy to visit the town centre.
“If the customers also feel unsafe, they don’t want to come in… Victims are running on the street, everyone is scared. That’s a big issue, stabbings,” he said.
Saqib Mushtaq, 27, called for a greater police presence in Woolwich town centre (Image: Joe Coughlan) Roda Keela, 30, who has lived in the borough her whole life, said: “When I was younger, it’s not an area I would have come to while it was dark. After 5pm, I wouldn’t advise young people to be here because you’re easily targeted. You don’t even need to be involved for people to target you in Woolwich.”
Ms Keela said gang activity is prevalent in Woolwich, and it is upsetting to see violence among youths still occurring.
“Woolwich is now becoming a pinpoint for young people to come for easy access to joining gangs… This is not what we want people to think or want people to see Woolwich as.”
She added: “I think we need to understand the law of the country we live in so you know what the consequences are when you face these actions.
James Orpington, 25, who has lived in Woolwich for two years, said: “I am shocked because they’re young and it’s sad, but I’m also not surprised because it’s just the way of the world right now.”
James Orpington said the recent stabbings did not surprise him (Image: Joe Coughlan) A Greenwich Council spokesperson said: “It is a tragedy that another young life has been lost to knife crime, and we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim. The council will be working closely with the police to provide any assistance they need during their investigation.”
Superintendent Louise Sargent from the Met’s South East Command Unit said: “I understand and share the shock that the local community is feeling following recent violent incidents in Woolwich, including the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy.
“A team of experienced, specialist detectives continues to investigate the fatal stabbing and local officers will support them in any way possible to ensure whoever is responsible is identified and arrested.”
She added: “Local detectives investigating the stabbing of an 18-year-old man in Prince Imperial Road on Monday, January 6 are making progress and have made two arrests. The injured man remains in hospital in a stable condition.
“While it does not appear there is a link between these two incidents, this in no way lessens the impact on residents and the nervousness they may feel.”
She said officers from the local policing team regularly patrol Woolwich, and such patrols would increase in the coming weeks.
She urged residents and business owners with concerns to stop patrolling officers and speak to them.