London reporter launches series of knife crime stories

It is a heavy, but important subject. 

With each tragic loss and each report of a knife-related incident, we run the risk of gradually becoming desensitised to the topic. 

A bench in Overton Park installed in tribute to Ilyas Habibi, a 17-year-old who was fatally stabbed in Sutton in 2023 (Image: Newsquest) Knife crime demands unwavering attention to prevent these incidents from becoming yet another issue we slowly accept and allow to be absorbed into the fabric of society. 

It is for this reason that I have been working over the past weeks on a project that takes a look at the safety of young people in London in the face of knife-related incidents. 

We have conducted a series of interviews that look at the facts and figures, opinions, and first-hand experiences linked to it. 

We went on a day out with the Metropolitan Police to see for ourselves the work they do on shift (Image: Newsquest) I discussed the topic with people aged 18 or under, gaining invaluable insight into what it means to be a young person in the city in this day and age. 

I spoke to family members of a 16-year-old boy killed with a knife, hearing about the ongoing impact on their lives. 

A day out with the Metropolitan Police allowed me a first-hand experience of the work they do on a day-to-day shift to help keep people safe, whilst also fighting underfunding and reduced staff levels.

An interview with one of the UK’s leading anti-knife crime charities provided a sobering reality check and a hopeful outlook for a future society free of knives. 

Over the coming week we will be publishing a series of stories to bring this subject to discussion that is not just in the wake of a crime being committed.