15-year-old boy killed in south London after apparent fight between two sets of rival gangs
Three teenagers were questioned after a 15-year-old boy was stabbed and killed in south London. Witnesses said the boy, who was named as Temidayo Fuwad Ogunneye, was set upon behind a block of flats in Camberwell just after 4pm on Wednesday. He died later in hospital.
Nimo Jama, a resident of the area, said her nine-year-old niece had watched the attack from her bedroom window. Jama said: "He was not moving or blinking, his eyes were just wide open and he was barely breathing."
She said that a friend had tried to stem the bleeding with the victim's scarf. "There was blood everywhere, it was terrifying."
Many residents were too scared about possible reprisals to speak openly about the teenager's death. One woman, who works at a nearby community centre, said: "It feels like the kids are running this area, but we cannot speak out because if they find out who has talked, your house is targeted, you get burgled and your family gets attacked."
One woman, who did not wish to be named, said a fight had broken out between two sets of rival gangs, and a teacher from a nearby school in Camberwell had stepped in to try to stop the fight escalating.
The boy, who is the fifth teenager to die of stab wounds in the capital this year, was pronounced dead at 10.30pm on Wednesday night, six hours after he had been taken to hospital. He had suffered stab wounds to his body, emergency services said. Police have contacted the victim's family, who live in nearby Peckham.
A woman who said she was the teenager's cousin forwarded a tweet message under the name Cecediamond. "Just found out my 15-year-old cousin was stabbed in Camberwell and died. I'm numb. Still can't believe it. My heart is aching," she wrote. Later she said the entire family were devastated and asked for the media to respect their privacy.
Police are still trying to establish a motive for the attack. Detective chief inspector John McFarlane, of Scotland Yard's homicide and serious crime command, appealed for witnesses.
"A large number of youths were hanging around the area," McFarlane said. "Three teenagers were arrested last night and they are being held in custody at a local police station. I need the assistance of anyone who would have seen the youths running away from the scene."
The attack happened on the Calais Gate estate in Camberwell, between the Myatt estate and the residential roads leading to Camberwell Green.
The road was cordoned off on Thursday as residents expressed shock at what had happened.
"This is such a tragedy, it leaves me numb," said Tanya Reynolds. "I have teenage children and every time this happens there is a kind of dread that spreads over you, over all of us, but I don't know what the answer is."
• The Guardian is interested in covering this story in more depth. Please contact matthew.taylor@guardian.co.uk if you have any information about this case.