When I woke up this morning I did what most people do nowadays. I reached for my phone. Browsing the news I saw the Headline: 'Teenager Stabbed to Death in London'. Again.
So another young man has had his life prematurely ended due to knife crime in London. A 15 year old boy, yards from his school in Kensal Green.
I've seen the effects of knife crime. On several occasions I have been the first person to arrive at somebody who has been stabbed and administered the essential first aid required. I've looked down at a 15 year old boy dead in the street, having been stabbed to death, knowing that no amount of first aid will help him. I've collected the parents of a youth and driven them to hospital on blue lights as their child fights for their life.
Why this boy from Kensal Green was stabbed to death is not yet clear. In truth it is often puzzling why young people choose to stab others to death. Often, the stabbings that occur are in the leg, arm or buttocks. This is because the perpetrators believe it to be less life threatening. Not because they don't want to kill, but because they do not want the punishment and extensive investigations that follow a murder. Murders are VERY rarely unsolved in London these days.
Ask yourself, why do young people carry knives? Ask them and the answer is often self protection. That's a cop out, frankly. In the simplest terms it is idiocy. There are plenty of people who make it their life's goal to inform these young people of the dangers of carrying a knife and committing street crime. The truth is that in their juvenile, immature minds they think it is clever. When I was a teenager I thought I had the world sussed. I thought I knew more than anybody else and that I was always right. Maybe you did too? These teenagers are no different. There is a reason that these victims are not generally 30/40 years old, having been stabbed coming out of work by a fellow adult.
In my experience some victims are not always as innocent as they are portrayed by family and the press after a murder. I know of several instances where the victim has led a gang and crime fuelled life before succumbing to murder by a rival or enemy. Even as a youth we should collectively highlight any errors or misjudgments these juveniles make which cause them to be killed. To deter others from such choices. Nobody deserves to be murdered, at all, but it is a fact that some choices can increase the likelihood of such violence happening to you. Of course many victims are completely innocent. But I have experienced several cases where the victims lifestyle has led to their inexcusable murder.
I have also met one or two incredible parents of murdered youths. They rally their communities and campaign, as more should do, to stop knife crime and gang culture on the streets of London. These people should be heralded.
Somewhere along the line someone will blame the police. It is inevitable. There is a long line of people who are responsible for such acts before you get to the police, with the perpetrator at the front of the queue.
I don't have any answers, I'm afraid. Knives are readily available and if a youth truly wants to carry one, or worse use one, then it is hard to stop them. Stop and search is constantly criticised and clearly unpopular, so how else do the police get knives off the street?
Yesterday a 15 year old boy was murdered on the streets of London. This is a tragedy. At least one family is going to be ripped apart because of some bad decisions and a horrendous act. Tell a youth what to do and they are likely to do the opposite. Because they know best. Just like you and I did.
Anonymous Bobby
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