A 17-year-old youth has been charged with murder after a teenager was stabbed to death in east London.
Israel Ogunsola, 18, was found fatally wounded in Link Street, Hackney, by officers on patrol at around 8pm on Wednesday and was pronounced dead 25 minutes later.
His father Dele Ogunsola, who lives on the nearby Jack Dunning Estate, confirmed on Thursday afternoon that his son was the victim, although he is yet to be officially named by police.
A 17-year-old appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon, Scotland Yard said.
He will next appear at the Old Bailey on April 10, while a second 17-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder has been bailed to a date in mid-April.
Protesters and community leaders gathered in east London to call for an end to a recent spate of gang violence, in which several teenagers have died.
Crowds gathered at Hackney Central station on Thursday, close to where Israel was stabbed to death.
His murder followed that of 16-year-old Amaan Shakoor two days earlier on April 2, who was shot in Markhouse Road, Walthamstow, minutes after the shooting of 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne in Tottenham the same evening.
Neighbour Patrick Russell said Israel had been due to start an IT course at the University of Hertfordshire in September.
He said: “I knew him for 18 years. He was a popular kid.”
School friends who had studied with him at City Academy described him as “warm and humble”.
One woman, who asked not to be named, said: “When you saw him, his facial expressions just warmed you.
“He was a funny guy.”