Forest Gate murder: Stabbing victim named by police as university student Sami Sidhom

The 18-year-old was knifed in Chestnut Avenue just before 11pm last night and was pronounced dead at the scene less than an hour later.

A neighbour, who was by Sami’s side as he died, has described the horror of the aftermath of the stabbing.

“I heard people shouting outside so I ran out and people were trying to find out who he was, but as soon as I saw his curly hair I knew.

“He was a good boy, he wasn’t involved with any gangs or anything.”

Before the emergency services arrived, neighbours tried to stop Sami’s bleeding by tightly wrapping his wounds with towels, he added.

While paramedics fought to save Sami’s life he was in and out of consciousness and mumbling incomprehensibly.

Another neighbour who wished to remain anonymous and has known the victim since he was a young child said Sami was a “really lovely young man”.

Sami, who used to be a pupil at Newham Collegiate Sixth Form, had just started studying for a degree at Queen Mary University.

His former headteacher, Mouhssin Ismail, said: “Sami was a gentle, kind and considerate young man who had a very bright future ahead of him.

“He was intelligent, dedicated to his studies and a role model in every sense of the word. He has been deprived of a life which would have been filled with great success and happiness.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his immediate family and close friends who must be devastated by their loss.”

He was “seemingly attacked by a gang of animals from a car just up the road from his home”, according to a Twitter user who claimed to have been at the scene in the aftermath of the stabbing.

A mother who lives on the street said: “This is a family area where children play in the street, it is so shocking that this has happened here.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan issued a statement in response to the death, which is the 57th killing in London so far this year.

He said: “My heart goes out to the friends and family of the teenager who lost his life in Forest Gate last night.

“I am in close contact with the police and I am reassured that they are doing everything they can to bring those responsible to justice and keep Londoners safe.”

Det Insp John Marriott, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are at the early stages of the investigation, but are keen to hear from anyone who may have been in the area last night and may have seen or heard anything.

“It doesn’t matter how big or small you think your information may be; it could be the piece of the puzzle that helps bring the person that killed a young man to justice.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact the Incident Room on 0208 345 3715 or via Twitter @MetCC.

No arrests have been made yet.

Any witnesses, or anyone with information that may assist the investigation, are urged to call officers via 101 quoting CAD 8332/apr16.