Boy, 18, stabbed to death in front of two children after ‘petty argument’
AN 18-year-old boy was stabbed to death in front of two children after a "petty argument", witnesses claim.
The victim, who was described by neighbours as a small and thin white male, was found shirtless and bleeding on the pavement in the residential Gledwood Gardens, Hayes, west London.
Witnesses say the victim was stabbed three times in the back and "ran for his life" before collapsing on the street on Monday afternoon, just before 4pm.
Two children, aged 11 and 12, who had gone to buy ice cream, witnessed the violence.
Their dad heard their screams and rushed out the help the victim- but couldn't save him.
Gurdeep Chaggar, 47, said: “My daughters who are 11 and 12 came running in and said there was a guy stabbing another guy with a big knife.
"She came flying up the stairs to tell me.
"I ran there and saw a guy laying on his face.
"I saw a two inches wide gash on his back - there were two or three wounds.
"I told my daughters to get towels.
"I put pressure on the wounds.
"I felt his pulse it was hardly there and within minutes it disappeared.
"He was dead before the paramedics arrived.
"I was still there when the paramedics arrived.
"When you are doing that it seems like forever but in reality it was about five minutes.
"He muttered something to me.
"It sounded like, something, something 'Bruv'.
He added: "I feel sad for him.
"I always said hello to him and he would reply, 'Alright bruv'."
He said his daughters suffered nightmares on Monday after witnessing the murder.
Medics battled to save the teenager for over nearly three quarters of an hour but sadly the lad died at the scene.
The alleged killer was said to have "calmly walked away" from the scene, still holding the knife.
The eyewitness said: "The boy just started to walk away, he didn't run, he didn't walk fast or anything - he just walked away.
"He did his job and then he walked away."
The witness added: "I thought it was just kids playing around.
"I wish I could have helped, I wish I could have done something."
related stories
A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "There are always young people causing trouble around here - rowing and fighting.
"I heard the screams of another neighbour who found him and called the police.
"It was terribly frightening - I didn't dare look out of my curtains.
"It's just awful to happen on the doorstep."
Another neighbour added: "It's so scary- I don't know what the world is coming to.
"This kind of thing seems to be happened more frequently and it's awful.
"There is always gangs of kids hanging around here- it can be quite intimidating."
The suspected killer, who cops confirmed knew his victim, was arrested a short distance away from the scene.
He remains in custody at a west London police station.
On Tuesday a police cordon was still in place and a blue crime scene tent could be seen in the place area where the teen collapsed.
Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "I would ask anyone who has information that could assist this investigation to contact the incident room.
“We are especially keen to hear from anyone who was in the area of Gledwood Gardens shortly before 4pm and witnessed the assault to come forward.”