Boy, 17, dies in south London stabbing spate
A 17-year-old boy has died after being stabbed in south London following a spate of knife attacks.
The youngster was found with stab wounds on the Moorlands Estate, Brixton, at about 17:50 GMT on Friday and died on the way to hospital.
It followed the stabbing of another boy hours earlier in nearby West Norwood which left the victim critically hurt.
Police are examining whether the attacks were linked to five separate stabbings on 25 February.
It means there have been a total of seven knife attacks all within a small geographical area.
Details of the five stabbings last weekend have only just been released.
Referring to the fatal stabbing, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said it is believed the victim was with a friend when he was chased by two young men and attacked.
Commander David Zinzan, in charge of policing in south-east London, said: "Following the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old boy in Brixton and other serious stabbings in Lambeth borough in the last few days, police have increased patrols.
"Extra officers have been drafted in to reassure and protect the public, and to act as a strong deterrent to anyone thinking of committing further violence in the aftermath of these incidents.
"Our priority is to bring to justice those responsible, and to prevent any further incidents in the coming days and weeks."
Cindy Butts, a community leader who advises police, said: "This is a time when people should be binding together and supporting one another in the community.
"People should also be supporting the police's efforts to apprehend the people responsible and bring them to justice.
"We need to restore a sense of peace and order on the streets."
Nick Mason, chairman of the Lambeth Independent Advisory Group, said: "In the last few days we have seen the tragic loss of a young person's life and other incidents in which other young people have been seriously injured.
"Serious youth violence and knife crime has a significant impact on young people, their families, schools and the wider community.
"This is not just a problem for police - we all have a responsibility to reduce serious violence in our communities."