Dramatic Shop Arrest of 'Wild West' Killer
Police have released dramatic footage showing the moment they arrested a 24-year-old man for a murder described by prosecutors as 'like something from the Wild West'. Awad Abdel Samad was apprehended in a convenience store months after he fatally stabbed 19-year-old Mohamed Abdi in Westminster, central London.
Last week, Samad was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 27 years for murder, plus a further 12 months for possession of a bladed article. The court heard how the violent attack lasted just 25 seconds.
The Fatal Confrontation on Edgware Road
The incident occurred last June, shortly before 11pm. Samad and Abdi, who were known to each other, were driving separately down Edgware Road when they became involved in a dispute. Both men got out of their vehicles and a fight broke out in the street.
As the altercation concluded, Mohamed Abdi attempted to retreat to the safety of his car. Tragically, before he could shut the door, Samad launched a ferocious attack, stabbing the teenager three times.
Following the killing, Samad fled the scene with the help of getaway driver Mohamad El-Hazzaa, 27. Samad subsequently travelled to a hospital in Luton, where he gave a fake name to receive treatment for injuries he sustained during the confrontation.
Painstaking Investigation and Sentencing
Police officers responding to reports of a fight found Abdi with critical knife wounds and administered CPR before paramedics from the London Ambulance Service arrived. Despite their efforts, the young victim could not be saved.
Detectives from Specialist Crime South pieced together the events of that night using a combination of CCTV footage from the scene and advanced analysis of phone data. This evidence was crucial in tracing the suspects' movements from their homes to the crime scene and proving the case to jurors.
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Denby stated: 'Samad tried to evade police and escape justice. Officers used advanced analysis of technical data alongside CCTV of the event to prove without doubt that Samad was the person who killed Abdi.'
El-Hazzaa, who had not participated in the violence but acted as the getaway driver, was also brought to justice. In the hours after the murder, he swapped his phone and booked a flight to leave the country. When he returned in November, officers were waiting for him at the airport. He was jailed for three years for perverting the course of justice and disqualified from driving for three years and six months.
DCI Denby added: 'We will continue to work tirelessly and use all our resources to bring violent criminals to justice and make London a safer city.'
