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| Boy stabbed to death in east London named as Tashaun Aird, 15 | Boy stabbed to death in east London named as Tashaun Aird, 15 |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| The family of a 15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in east London have paid tribute to the “loving, caring boy” who had an “infectious laugh”. | The family of a 15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in east London have paid tribute to the “loving, caring boy” who had an “infectious laugh”. |
| Detectives believe Tashaun Aird, an aspiring musician, was killed after a “fracas” with a group of youths in Somerford Grove, Hackney, on Wednesday evening. | Detectives believe Tashaun Aird, an aspiring musician, was killed after a “fracas” with a group of youths in Somerford Grove, Hackney, on Wednesday evening. |
| In a statement released by Scotland Yard on Friday, the family said: “Tashaun was family orientated, he loved his family and we loved him dearly. He was passionate about his music and he loved drawing. He was a loving, caring boy with an infectious laugh. | In a statement released by Scotland Yard on Friday, the family said: “Tashaun was family orientated, he loved his family and we loved him dearly. He was passionate about his music and he loved drawing. He was a loving, caring boy with an infectious laugh. |
| “There are no words to avoid this empty void we now have, a huge part of us is now missing. He was a talented young boy and worked hard in his studies, particularly with his English. We are deeply shocked and saddened by our loss; we have lost a dear son, a brother, a nephew, a grandson and an uncle in Tashaun.” | “There are no words to avoid this empty void we now have, a huge part of us is now missing. He was a talented young boy and worked hard in his studies, particularly with his English. We are deeply shocked and saddened by our loss; we have lost a dear son, a brother, a nephew, a grandson and an uncle in Tashaun.” |
| Another boy, aged 16, was riding a bicycle when he was stabbed and chased, before seeking refuge in a convenience store. He remained in hospital on Friday after he was found with stab injuries in nearby Shacklewell Road, but police said his injuries were not life-threatening. | Another boy, aged 16, was riding a bicycle when he was stabbed and chased, before seeking refuge in a convenience store. He remained in hospital on Friday after he was found with stab injuries in nearby Shacklewell Road, but police said his injuries were not life-threatening. |
| There have been no arrests and police are appealing for information. | There have been no arrests and police are appealing for information. |
| DCI Helen Rance said: “Tashaun’s family have been left devastated by the sudden loss of their son and we are continuing to do everything we can to find those responsible. We believe both victims were attacked following a fracas with another group of youths in a park near Somerford Grove before both fled. | DCI Helen Rance said: “Tashaun’s family have been left devastated by the sudden loss of their son and we are continuing to do everything we can to find those responsible. We believe both victims were attacked following a fracas with another group of youths in a park near Somerford Grove before both fled. |
| “Although we are following a number of leads we are urging anyone who has any information that may help our investigation to get in touch with us or Crimestoppers anonymously [on 0800 555 111].” | “Although we are following a number of leads we are urging anyone who has any information that may help our investigation to get in touch with us or Crimestoppers anonymously [on 0800 555 111].” |
| Police chiefs have described the recent spate of knife crime as ‘a national emergency’. In the first two months of 2019 there were 17 homicides in London alone, where 35% of all knife crimes are committed. | |
| The number of NHS England admissions among people aged 10-19 with knife wounds has risen 60% in five years, surpassing 1,000 last year. | |
| The number of knife and offensive weapon offences in England and Wales have risen to their highest level for nearly a decade, with the number of cases dealt with by the criminal justice system up by more than a third since 2015. | |
| Figures on sentences handed out for such crimes, published by the Ministry of Justice, showed there were 22,041 knife and weapon offences formally dealt with by the criminal justice system in the year ending March 2019. This is the highest rate since 2010, when the number was 23,667. | |
| In the year ending March 2019, 37% of knife and offensive weapon offences resulted in an immediate custodial sentence, compared with 22% in 2009, when the data was first published. The average length of the custodial sentences rose to the longest in a decade, from 5.5 months to 8.1 months. | |
| The MoJ figures revealed that the number of juvenile offenders convicted or cautioned for possession or threats using a knife or offensive weapon increased by almost half (48%) between the year ending March 2015 and the year ending March 2019. | |
| The increase in adult offenders over the same period was smaller, at 31%. However, adult offenders still accounted for 74% of the total increase in cautions and convictions received for those offences in that period. | |
| In March 2019 chancellor, Philip Hammond, handed an extra £100m to police forces in England and Wales after a spate of fatal stabbings led to a renewed focus on rising knife crime and police resources. | |
| In the same month more than 10,000 knives were seized and 1,372 suspects arrested during a week-long national knife crime crackdown. Officers carried out 3,771 weapons searches, during which 342 knives were found. Another 10,215 were handed in as part of amnesties. | |
| A new Offensive Weapons Act was passed in May 2019, making it illegal to possess dangerous weapons including knuckledusters, zombie knives and death star knives. It also made it a criminal offence to dispatch bladed products sold online without verifying the buyer is over 18. | |
| The killing was the 44th homicide in the capital this year and the 27th fatal stabbing. Despite the efforts of medics to save Tashaun, he was pronounced dead at 9.49pm on Wednesday, becoming the eighth teenager to die violently this year. | The killing was the 44th homicide in the capital this year and the 27th fatal stabbing. Despite the efforts of medics to save Tashaun, he was pronounced dead at 9.49pm on Wednesday, becoming the eighth teenager to die violently this year. |
| A postmortem examination gave the provisional cause of death as a stab wound to the lung. | A postmortem examination gave the provisional cause of death as a stab wound to the lung. |
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