Stoke Newington and the surrounding area has been rocked by multiple high profile incidents over the last 12 months, including two murders, six stabbings and yesterday’s shooting. Another murder investigation is underway on Dynevor Road after a 45-year-old man was gunned down in the early hours.
Residents reported hearing multiple shots followed by shouting, screaming and sirens just before 12.30am. Liza Dodds, a support worker whose home neighbours the scene, reported seeing a police officer administering CPR minutes after the gunman fled.
Detectives believe this was an isolated attack and are now working to identify the person responsible. Whilst shocking, many in the sought after neighbourhood, where houses sell for millions, shared the same sentiment: Hackney will never change.
The streets branching off the A10, which runs through Dalston, Stoke Newington and parts of Clapton, have been particular crime hotspots since last summer, spiking in the shadow of the infamous Murder Mile. MyLondon has rounded up the most serious below:
Mum found stabbed after gas explosion
Annabel Rook was found with multiple stab wounds in the living room of a house on Dumont Road – metres from yesterday’s shooting – on June 17. The front bay window was completely blown out that morning, with debris including plants, wooden shutters and glass scattered across the street.
The 46-year-old charity boss was described as a “truly wonderful woman” by distraught friends and colleagues, with her family promising to look after her young sons.
Her partner Clifton George has since been charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life. His trial is due to begin in June of next year.
Bus driver murdered by daughter’s ‘seething’ ex-boyfriend
Bus driver Derek Thomas was stabbed five times just seconds from his front door by his daughter’s jilted ex-boyfriend last summer. Kamar Williams murdered his former ‘father figure’ after threatening former girlfriend Carron Thomas and telling her to “watch this space” during an argument.
The 34-year-old then staked out her parent’s home on Benthal Road, targeting Derek as he returned home from work on July 30. During his trail, the judge told Williams he killed Mr Thomas for “revenge because of your own fury”, calling the attack “savage violence”.
He has since been sentenced to life imprisonment and he will spend at least 29 years behind bars.
A tree has been planted in Stoke Newington Common in memory of Mr Thomas, with his ‘heartbroken’ family laying floral arrangements on a near-weekly basis.
Boy, 15, with ‘knife fascination’ stabbed friend to death
A ‘dangerous’ teenager stabbed his school friend through the heart after a falling out days before – and mere metres – from Derek Thomas’ murder. The 16-year-old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, knifed Pharrell Garcia, 15, with a multi tool in Stellman Close on July 23 last year, having met in the park shortly before.
CCTV caught the youngster heading into the park, putting his hood up, and walking to the area where the attack happened, before chasing Pharrell as he bled out. He later messaged his mother saying he could not come home and asking her to remove certain items from their home and to go to Portugal.
The defendant was told he will serve at least seven years of a 12 year sentence following the conclusion of his trial at the Old Bailey on Friday, June 20.
‘Cheerful’ wheelchair user killed during street fight
Deeper in Clapton, Jade Anthony Barnett was then stabbed to death during a street fight on Rushmore Road a month later. Police were called to the residential street at 3.40pm on August 28, finding the injured 38-year-old at the junction with Overbury Street.
Mr Barnett, who used a wheelchair, was described as a ‘jolly, caring’ person by sister Simone. She said: “He comes around here [Clapton] all the time, everyone knew my brother young, old, mothers, fathers, everybody knew my brother. Everybody is family, he’s just that character.”
A butcher at local store Hook Meat Supplier also called him a ‘good guy’ who he has seen around for about nine years.
Two men – aged 28 and 21 – were arrested nearby on suspicion of murder but have since been released with no further action.
Teenager stabbed during ‘music video’ shoot
A teenager collapsed on the floor of a corner shop following a stabbing on Evering Road six months ago. The 19-year-old was knifed in the arm on February 22 and had to undergo emergency surgery.
“It was pretty traumatising,” the shop assistant told MyLondon, recalling how he watched a fight spiral through his front door, “I was on top of him, telling him he was going to be fine, but then the ambulance didn’t come for 15 minutes. We all just got left to deal with it, it was awful.”
Police believe a music video was being outside shot at the time.
‘Shopkeeper’ stabbed in broad daylight
The same shop was shaken 67 days later when a man was stabbed at the till. Witnesses reported it was the 40-year-old shopkeeper himself that was injured.
Police and were called to same stretch of Evering Road at around 4.50pm on Tuesday, April 29 before rushing the man to a major trauma centre. His injuries were later confirmed to be non-life-threatening or life-changing.
Witnesses reported seeing the emergency helicopter land in Hackney Downs Park at the time of the incident. A 25-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
Follow the latest updates on the Stoke Newington shooting on MyLondon.
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