Harlesden stabbing: One man killed and another fighting for life after wave of knife violence across London

One man was killed today and another left critically injured following a wave of knife violence in London.

Seven people suffered stab wounds in six separate knife attacks across the capital on Tuesday evening.

A 21-year-old died in the early hours after being stabbed in Harlesden at 9.30pm yesterday.

Police said he is thought to have been attacked by a group of men before fleeing into a bookmaker’s attempting to seek help.

Witnesses told how a man was ambushed by a knife wielding gang and stabbed to death after jumping out of a car on Harlesden High Street.

One claimed the attack was a “revenge mission” by a local gang, and that “trouble has been brewing around here”.

He said: “They were in a car, they jumped out and went for him outside the Paddy Power bookmakers. I’ve seen the guy who died out there before, it looked like they knew who they were looking for.

“The injuries were terrible; people were vomiting because of the extent of the wound.”

Another witness said: “This is a problem area. We feel under threat at night.

“The place was swamped with cops - at first I thought it might be a terror incident what with what has happened in Sri Lanka.”

His shocked friend held him as he lay dying on the ground, he said, with police reportedly later finding a stash of knives left nearby.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the man was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries at 2.47am.

He added: “He is thought to have been attacked by a group of men before fleeing into a bookmaker’s to seek help.

“Seven men have been arrested in connection with this incident and are currently in custody.”

A 28-year-old man was also fighting for his life after being stabbed outside a Tesco in Wembley three hours earlier.

Witnesses told how the victim was involved in an argument with another man before he was chased down Preston Road and stabbed in his chest and stomach.

An onlooker said: “A guy was standing near Tesco and he got stabbed in the chest and the abdomen.

“I think it was three times, it happened really quickly. He was still standing for a few minutes but then he fell on to the pavement. Everyone went around him.

“The beef started further up the road. I don’t know if they were arguing or not. There were two guys standing near the bridge and they both ran down the road and then he got stabbed.”

Suresh Mohan, 43, who lives near the scene, said paramedics desperately tried to stop the bleeding.

“He was still bleeding and the doctors were helping him. They patched him up but you could still see the blood.

“I think he was stabbed in his chest they patched him up with a bandage. He was still and they took him away in ambulance.”

Alin Cruceru, 41, and his wife Maria, 34, were at home when they saw a heavy police presence outside their house.

Mrs Cruceru said: “I feel bad, I don’t feel safe. We have been here for seven years and we have never seen police here.”

Police were called to other stabbings in Wembley, Merton and West Drayton.

The first attack yesterday at around 3pm when seven people were arrested for offences including grievous bodily harm, assisting an offender and possession of firearms, after a man was stabbed in Camomile Way.

At just after 8pm in Tubbs Road, Harlesden, two other men, aged in their 20s, were taken to hospital with slash injuries following a fight.

And at about 10pm last night, police were called to reports of a stabbing in Morden Road, Mitcham, where a man was found suffering stab wounds.

At the same time, two miles away in Mitcham, a 17-year-old boy was found with stab wounds in Tamworth Lane.

In each case the injuries were not thought to be life-threatening and there were no arrests.