Mother among two killed less than a mile apart in London

LONDON: The mother of a six-year-old boy was one of two victims murdered in separate killings less than a mile apart in north London.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police murder squad are investigating the deaths, the first of which took place in Belmont Street, Camden. A woman in her early 20s, named locally as Shakira, was stabbed at around 11.15pm on Sunday and, despite treatment from paramedics, was pronounced dead at the scene just before midnight.

A trail of blood could be seen on the ground near the scene of her death on Monday. Terry Ellis, from the Camden Against Violence, said the stabbing victim regularly attended the group’s events. “She’s a mother, she’s got a six-year-old kid,” he said. “As far as I know it was an argument she wasn’t really involved in.

“She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn’t gang-related, it wasn’t drug-related. She was a wonderful young lady, always happy. She’s got a lovely son and was just a normal mother.”

Ellis said the family of the young mother have been left “devastated” by the killing. “She’s just a normal mum,” he added.

Two other women suffered slash wounds. Scotland Yard said a 35-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Friends of the victim left floral tributes at the scene on Monday.

One, who gave her name as Ronney, 21, described her as a “really, really good mum”, who “adored” her son. “She was part of everyone’s life, she helped everyone,” she said. “She was part of my family. She was lovely.” The woman, who said she used to live with the victim, said she was not involved in an argument that broke out, but was sticking up for someone else. “I don’t know why people feel the need to carry knives. People just don’t think before they do things,” she added.

The second killing saw a man in his 20s shot dead around half a mile away in Malden Road, Kentish Town, just before midnight. A 25-year-old who gave his name as Will described how he battled to save the man’s life as he lay on the ground with a gunshot wound to his chest.