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A schoolboy who was stabbed to death in London was attacked with a zombie-style knife just two days before a ban against the deadly weapons comes into force.
The 15-year-old was found in a “massive pool of blood” on Eglinton Road, Woolwich, at around 6.30pm on Sunday, as he pleaded “don’t let me die” shortly before passing away.
The Metropolitan Police has now launched a murder investigation and urged anyone with information to come forward as it issued warning against zombie-style knives.
A witness, who did not want to be named, said she was in her bedroom when a person across the road screamed “someone’s been stabbed, someone’s been stabbed”.
The 43-year-old said that she grabbed a sheet and ran outside without shoes and socks, before finding the boy face down on the floor.
He had a gash on his head and a “massive pool of blood” by his leg and was pleading with her not to let him die, she added.
The woman said that she stemmed the flow of blood until paramedics arrived, but the teenager sadly passed away shortly after.
A Woolwich resident could be seen crying outside her house as forensic officers scoured the street for evidence on Monday.
“He could have been my son,” she said while sobbing. A neighbour offered comfort by giving her a huge and saying: “We tried our best”.
Speaking outside Plumstead Police Station on Monday, Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry said: “The fact a 15-year-old teenager who had his whole life ahead of him has been taken from his family in this way is a stark and sobering reminder of the danger of zombie-style knives.
“We are committed to doing everything in our power to taking these weapons off the streets. If you live in the area do you have any CCTV, doorbell cameras or dash cam footage?
“We have an online portal where you can upload images or video footage. If you have useful information, please call us on 020 8721 4005 quoting Operation Baghaze.”
The government announced a ban on zombie-knives and machetes earlier this year which is due to come into force on Tuesday, 24 September.
The ban is part of efforts to reduce knife crime, with campaigners including actor Idris Elba pushing for the large blades to be outlawed.
Zombie knives were first banned in 2016 but this week’s ban includes new definitions to outlaw more of the blades.
They are defined as a bladed weapon with a plain cutting edge, sharp pointed end over eight inches long, according to the new legislation.
The weapon could also have a serrated cutting edge over two inches long, more than one whole in the blade, spikes or more than two sharp points on the knife.
In 2019, there were 7,159 offences recorded as involving the large blades, which nearly doubled to 14,195 in 2023.
Nearly 10,000 of the offences recorded in 2023 involved machetes, double the number from five years before, according to data obtained by the BBC.
A zombie knife, or zombie-style knife, is a large bladed weapon that has increasingly been linked to gang crime and violence in the UK.
The blade will typically will have a serrated edge on one side and a smooth, sharp edge on the other. They are inspired by the kind of weapon used in zombie films.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they tend to feature words or imagery that suggests they are intended to be used for violence. This can be on either the blade, the handle, or both.
