A 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a teenager was fatally stabbed outside a school in north-west London. The victim, Quamari Barnes, also 15, was attacked at a bus stop near Capital City Academy in Willesden at around 3.30pm on Monday, shortly after the school day ended. He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.
According to a family friend, Quamari was threatened at the bus stop and chased by his assailant as he fled towards the school for safety. The motive for the attack remains unclear. He is the second London teenager in four days to die in a knife attack, following the death of 19-year-old Djodjo Nsaka near Wembley stadium on Friday.
On Tuesday, pupils laid flowers and notes at the school entrance. One tribute read: 'Quamari was the most positive and energetic person I have ever met. He brought life into everyone’s lives.' Another described him as a 'bubbly, happy and also cheeky little boy.' The school initially believed he would survive but confirmed his death on Tuesday, offering counselling to students and staff.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Lawson appealed for witnesses, particularly from the large number of children leaving school at the time. 'I would like to hear from them, or their parents, as I’m certain that people will have information that could prove vital to the investigation,' he said. A postmortem has yet to be carried out.
The stabbing has reignited concerns about knife crime in London. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe recently warned that 'the warning lights are flashing' after figures showed a rise in knife offences. Anyone with information is urged to call the police incident room on 020 8358 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
