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Boy, 15, dies in his teacher’s arms after he is stabbed to death by knife gang outside school

03 July 2010 04:55 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. A 15-year-old boy died in his teacher’s arms today after he was ambushed by suspected rival gang members outside a school in South London, APA reports quoting dailymail.co.uk web-page.
The stabbed teenager, named locally as Zac, was taken by air ambulance to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.
Saima Sadfdar, who runs a shop opposite the school in West Norwood, said the boy was attacked at by a gang of up to four men who lay in wait in a car.
She said: ’I was told there were three or four people with a big knife.
’Apparently one of the teachers realised something was going on and ran out to help.
’She had her hands open but it was too late and he collapsed in her arms.
’I knew the boy, he was no trouble.’
A second youngster, believed to be 14-years-old, was also stabbed but only received minor injuries to his arm.
Zac was attacked shortly before 9am. He is the 13th teenager to be killed in London this year and the ninth to die in a stabbing.
Police have confirmed one line of inquiry is that the murder was motivated by gang rivalries.
Murder squad detectives said four boys, three of whom are around 14-years-old, have been arrested following the incident in Gipsy Road Gardens.
The fight broke out close to the entrance of Park Campus School, where Zac is believed to have been a pupil.
Tributes were paid to him on Twitter and Facebook.
Jesse Gassongo-Alex, an aspiring actor, said he had known the victim since they were aged six.
He said they both went to the Brit School in Croydon but the dead teenager was â€˜kicked outâ€™.
Park Campus is a specialist school educating some of London’s most troubled young people, including those with social, behavioural and emotional difficulties.
Launched two years ago, it was hailed as the first school of its kind in Britain, aimed at getting young people back into mainstream education.
There are around 80 pupils aged between 11 and 16 at the school, which was purpose-built to minimise the risk to young people and staff.
The newly-built school is also the headquarters for Lambeth Council’s ’behaviour partnership service’, which supports young people elsewhere.
Park Campus head teacher Richard Leonard said: ’This is a terrible tragedy and the whole school is in shock.
’We will be providing all the support we can to pupils and their families as the school community tries to come to terms with this awful loss.’
A local woman, who did not wish to be named, said: ’I’ve heard about what happened - the street is cordoned off and I’ve had to have a police escort to my house.
’I call it a school for naughty children, children who don’t go to school.
’It is a shocking thing to have happened, but it seems that that’s how we’re living at the moment.’
The road by the school was still taped off this afternoon and blue suited forensics officers could be seen in the road.
A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: ’We were called at 8.50am to reports of a stabbing in Gipsy Road Gardens.
’We sent two single responders, two ambulance cars, an air ambulance and a duty manager to the scene.
’Our staff treated two patients, reported to be teenage boys, and took them as a priority by road to hospital.’
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ’A murder inquiry has been launched after the death of a 15-year-old boy in South London.
’Police were called at 8.50am to reports of a male assaulted in Gipsy Road Gardens, SE27.
’Police, London Ambulance Service and an air ambulance attended the scene to find a 15-year-old male suffering multiple stab wounds.
’He was taken to a South London hospital and confirmed dead shortly after arrival.
’A second teenager was also stabbed in the arm during the incident. He has been taken to a south London hospital with minor injuries.â€™
The spokesman added that the boy’s family have been informed of his death. A post-mortem examination will take place tomorrow.
Dulwich and West Norwood MP Tessa Jowell said: â€˜This is a tragic incident on which I have been updated throughout the day.
â€˜The key thing now is to establish the facts about exactly what happened and to ensure that those affected are given all possible support.â€™
Last year 14 teenagers were murdered in London, 10 of them stabbed to death and one shot.
Senior officers have seen some success in reducing youth violence, partly as a result of a crackdown on those carrying weapons.