The emergency services have explained why items might be left behind at crime scenes, after a grieving mother-turned anti-knife crime campaigner spotted blood-soaked bandages at a scene in Brixton today (1 January).
A 17-year-old is fighting for his life in hospital after a stabbing at the junction of Ferndale Road and Brixton Road in Brixton at around 5.47am on Wednesday.
Pastor Lorraine Jones MBE’s, who’s son Dwayne Simpson died in Brixton in 2014 after being stabbed as he tried to save his friend from being attacked, said what she found at the scene in Brixton today was ‘triggering’. She told MyLondon: “Syringes filled with blood on the floor, how can this be a happy new year?
The remnants of this morning’s crime scene
(Image: David Nathan/UKNIP)
“It’s absolutely horrifying, I’m looking at fresh blood, bandages filled with blood. I’ve seen parents with their children walking past, they have to guard their eyes and I’ve told them that I’ve contacted the police to clear it. It’s New Year’s afternoon and it’s unacceptable. People are just left to walk past blood. There is fresh blood on the streets of Brixton and it’s horrible.”
A Met Police spokesperson responded to say that this was a significant crime scene including a number of roads and that everyone involved does their best and this was a “genuine mistake”. It comes as emergency services have had a busy New Year’s period, which included a stabbing on Oxford Street.
A spokesperson for The Met said: “Where crime scenes require cleaning following incidents we work with our local authority partners who provide that service. Everyone involved does their best and this was clearly a genuine mistake. We regret any distress caused. Officers have already been in touch with Pastor Lorraine to understand her concerns.”
Deputy Director of 111 and 999 Control Centres Simon Harding, Gold Commander for the London Ambulance Service, said: “We are currently facing an extremely busy period and we continue to prioritise the most serious incidents and patients. We work with our emergency services partners at crime scenes.
“We understand the Metropolitan Police have responded to your query on this query and will continue to speak to all involved to review and learn from this incident.”
Pastor Lorraine added that today’s events brings back memories of “when my son was stabbed [to death] and I saw his blood on the pavement. It’s unacceptable.”
“It’s very triggering, it’s pulling me back to 2014 when I saw my son lying in his blood. Today it’s a 17-year-old boy and it’s traumatising for me. If I wasn’t so strong I’d be in bits. The blood has just been left there.
“I’ve never ever seen the remains of a carnage with nobody clearing it up and people are just walking past bewildered. There’s a syringe and bandage on the floor, I’ve never seen something like this and it’s 2025.”
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