'Wild West' Revenge Killing on Busy London Street
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal stabbing of a Porsche driver in central London, in a violent confrontation a judge described as reminiscent of the 'Wild West'. Awad Abdel Samad was told he must serve a minimum of 27 years for murdering 19-year-old Mohamed Abdi on the evening of June 4, 2024, on Edgware Road.
A Motive of Mistaken Revenge
The Old Bailey heard that Samad acted under the mistaken belief that Mr Abdi had been involved in the kidnapping and torture of his friend, Soufian Chafi, just two days earlier. Judge Lynn Tayton stated there was no evidence to support this belief, but that Samad and his co-defendant, Mohamad Mahmoud El-Hazzaa, 27, from Westminster, were convinced of Mr Abdi's involvement. The judge concluded, 'I am satisfied this was a revenge attack and you acted as part of a group.'
The Fatal Confrontation
The court was presented with a detailed account of the incident, which began when the victim, driving a Porsche Cayenne, pulled up behind the Seat Leon carrying Samad and El-Hazzaa in heavy traffic. After Mr Abdi flashed his lights, both cars stopped. Samad exited his vehicle armed with a knife, and a fight ensued after Mr Abdi also got out, himself armed.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC told jurors, 'It is, you might have thought, like something from the Wild West.' The confrontation turned decisively when Samad kicked Mr Abdi's knife from his hand, leaving the victim defenceless. Mr Abdi retreated to his Porsche, but Samad pursued him, reaching the car door before it could be closed.
Samad then stabbed the 19-year-old three times, with one blow to the chest piercing his ribs and heart. As Samad fled the scene in the Seat Leon, the fatally wounded Mr Abdi managed to drive his car forward into Bell Street, where members of the public and paramedics attempted to save him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sentencing and Impact
Sentencing Samad, Judge Tayton emphasised the terror inflicted on the public, stating the attack was carried out with 'extreme aggression and persistence' on a congested street with many pedestrians and motorists present.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Abdi's mother, Sharon, and sister, Amirah, described him as a 'cherished son and a loving brother' and 'a young man who had much to live for'. The judge acknowledged their profound loss, saying, 'They fear his life has been stolen.'
Footage of Samad's subsequent arrest in an off-licence was also released, showing police officers tackling him to the floor and informing him he was under arrest on suspicion of murder. Co-defendant Mohamad Mahmoud El-Hazzaa was sentenced to three years in prison for attempting to pervert the course of justice.
