A teenager who collapsed and died in a convenience shop after being 'chased and stabbed twice' has been named as his heartbroken father pays tribute.
Yusuf Mohamed, 18, was knifed in an alleyway and chased into the store where he was stabbed again, according to witnesses.
He was pronounced dead at the scene in Shepherd's Bush, west London, after the attack on Wednesday at 9.20pm.
Yusuf had been on his way to buy milk for his mum, a family friend said.
But one witness claimed "two men were waiting for him over the road like an ambush."
His father Abdulahi Ulusow, 62, today described Yusuf as "a calm polite boy and never in any trouble" while the teen's mum was seen collapsing in tears as she visited the scene.
Mr Ulusow told the London Evening Standard: “He was studying and dreamed of being an engineer. He was a good family boy, we are heartbroken. He had three brothers and a sister. "
In a cruel twist of fate, his family had moved to the capital from war-torn Somalia for a “safer" life.
Mr Ulusow, who said he was informed of his son's death through a relative, added: “He loved his football and supported Chelsea where he was born.
"This is beyond belief. I came here 20 years ago for a better, safer life.”
Police sealed off the Intercontinental Foods store after the stabbing and forensic officers were seen going in and out.
A witness claimed Yusuf put his arms up to show he was not armed, but was attacked with a 'long blade'.
He then fell backwards and stumbled into the 24-hour store.
Shopworkers tried desperately to help him before paramedics arrived.
Another witness told BBC London the teen was stabbed in an alleyway before being chased into the shop where he was stabbed again.
The witness, who did not want to be named, said after the assailant attacked the teenager for a second time he ran, leaving the knife in the store.
Meanwhile, a customer in the shop claimed he had seen the teenager fighting with another outside.
He said: "I was in the shop last night and saw two people fighting. It was short and brief.
"They were about the same age – teenagers. They were black teenagers, I think they were Somalians.
"One of them ran in for cover. He had already been stabbed when he came in.
"I have seen his face in the area before – he is local.
"The ambulance came in and the paramedics tried to save him.
"There was a trail of blood from outside coming into the shop."
The supermarket was open as usual this morning and locals stood in the aisles discussing the murder.
All traces of blood had been mopped up although some spatters could be seen on a shopping basket holder.
One woman said there had been a number of stabbings in the area recently.
She said: "I can't live here anymore. I've been here my whole life.
"It's horrible."
Resident Derek Parks, 64, added: "The fighting happened outside the shop doorway and the gentleman came in from outside. He came into the shop for cover.
"The other guy came into the shop with the knife and stabbed him.
"The guy who got stabbed went towards the basement of the shop and was hiding."
The knifeman ran and there was "a trail of blood" at the scene, according to Mr Parks, who has lived in the area for 40 years.
He said: "There is going to be a lot more stabbing on the streets if the Government does not take serious action. It is also down to the parents to keep a check on the children.
"Life is a precious thing which we should all treasure. All life matters."
Shopkeeper Sully Singh said there was a police cordon in place by the time he got to the store at around 9.45pm on Wednesday after a call from his night staff.
He said: "I got a telephone call from the guys and when I came here everyone was shocked. They said an incident had happened. There was a fight."
The shop's CCTV had been handed to police, he added.
Muhomad Afzal, who has worked the shop for 30 years, said: “Two men were waiting for him over the road like an ambush.
“The kid was unarmed and put his arms up to say ‘what’s happening’ but one of them stabbed him in the chest.
“He was stabbed in the chest once and fell back in to the shop.”
This afternoon, a man said he knew of Yusuf as his wife was friends with the teen's mother.
The man said: "He had 9 GCSEs, he was a good kid.
"His mum had sent him out to buy milk. He only lives a few minutes from here and that's what he was doing.
"The boy that stabbed him was about 15-years-old.
"He was stabbed outside and he ran into the shop to the back where there are stairs to the basement to get away, and the 15-year-old ran after him and stabbed him again.
"It's shocking. His mum collapsed when she heard."
He said the knifeman was black but not Somalian and from a different community.
He said: "It could be a case of mistaken identity. I don't know if they know each other."
Mohamed Abdulkadir said he knew the victim from when he was about 12 to 14, and had taught him at a mosque.
Mr Abdulkadir described the teenager as "very quiet" with a "good upbringing" and a mother who would always help him.
He added: "He wasn't a gullible kid who could be easily influenced.
"I am surprised that it is him, but I am not surprised that another child has been stabbed."
Passers-by began laying floral tributes outside the shop, including a teenager who laid a bunch of bright mixed flowers.
He did not wish to be identified but said the dead youngster was his friend, that he was "just ordinary and quiet" and was not involved in trouble.
Attached to a cluster of yellow tulips was a message from someone who signed themselves as "a mum".
She wrote: "So sorry to hear of yet another senseless killing.
"Lives for all involved will never be the same again. The pain won't leave. It is lifelong, truly a waste of a young life/lives.
"Look around you and life goes, then ask yourself what have you done to improve it.
"Killings killings killings."
A murder investigation has been launched by Met Police.
Detective Inspector Luke Wyllie from Hammersmith and Fulham said: “We are doing everything we can to apprehend those involved."
No arrests have been made.
It is the latest in a series of violent incidents in the capital, which saw five killings in six days earlier this month.
The death follows the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Edward Simpson in Feltham, west London, last Friday.
Source: Read Full Article