Southwark (Parliament News) – A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder after a teenager was fatally attacked outside a McDonald’s on Old Kent Road in Southwark.
This is the fifth arrest in the case of the murder of 17-year-old Yeray Sanchez-Morales.
The male’s name cannot be released due to court proceedings but has been charged with murder, grievous bodily harm, and possession of a bladed article. He will appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court for the first time on Thursday, 11 September.
Police were called to the Old Kent Road in Southwark at 10.47 p.m.; they found two boys, both 17 years old, who had been stabbed.
On Wednesday 3 September, Yeray died in the haze seen by the authorities that night was because Yeray was taken to the hospital with life-changing injuries, the other boy has been discharged from the hospital.
Residents are calling for local authorities to improve street-lighting, more CCTV and greater community policing to enhance public safety, especially to make public spaces safer for women around busy areas such as the Old Kent Road.
Organizations in Southwark are expanding their outreach efforts to assist young people, also providing conflict resolution mechanisms, and providing alternatives to violence.
Some community voices expressed a frustration about police and local authorities being perceived as responding inadequately to knife crime and the root causes of violent crime, (e.g.: poverty and social exclusion).
What has been the local community’s response to the stabbing?
Local people, community leaders & Southwark council have expressed their outrage at the senseless violence which has seen the victim and their family, and the community all now grieving.
In the community, one may have witnessed memorials planned and moments of silence that have been planned that honour the young man’s life, that was taken from him, to heal and grieve as one.
There has been an increase in apprehension around knife crime and youth on youth violence in the community, and a lot of the community are expressing the need for increased intervention, increased engagement with youth, and increased police presence.