Boy, 14, stabbed to death on London bus named locally as Kelyan Bokassa

• Tap above to watch video report by Olivia Guthrie

Police are on the hunt for a killer after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death on a London bus in what police have described as a “horrendous” crime.

The teenager was treated at the scene in Woolwich but died soon after medics arrived, Metropolitan Police said.

He has been named locally as Kelyan Bokassa. No arrests have been made.

The youngster was on a route 472 bus on Woolwich Church Road near the junction with the A205 South Circular Road, close to the Woolwich Ferry.

Police were called at 2.28pm on Tuesday.

Cordons and road closures remained in place on Tuesday night while emergency services carried out inquiries.

Deputy Commander Louise Sargent described the attack as a “horrendous crime”, and said it was a “worrying time” for local residents.

She told reporters at the scene: “I’m very sad to say that this afternoon a 14-year-old boy has died.

“The initial alert was raised by a local officer out on patrol.

“Paramedics treated a 14-year-old boy at the scene who had received stab wounds, but really sadly, he died shortly after medics arrived.

“Our thoughts at this time are with the victim’s family and friends.

“This is a horrendous crime, and I can’t imagine what they must be going through right now.

“We are working at pace to identify and arrest those involved.

“I know this will be a worrying time for everyone here in Woolwich, and all the more so given the very young age of the victim.”

An eyewitness told ITV News: "I've got a young son that lives around here with me who's only aged two-and-a-half and he's got to grow up around here.

"It's getting bad. There are knifes everywhere, people knifing each other.

"Always stabbings. It's bad around here."

A woman working at a nearby church said she saw an air ambulance and other emergency service vehicles arrive at the scene, but did not see any of the passengers from the bus.

The incident comes the day after an 18-year-old man was stabbed near a school in the same area of London.

Police were called to the scene at around 4.20pm on Prince Imperial Road, Woolwich, in Greenwich.

The man has been taken to hospital where he remains in a potentially life-threatening condition.

Police do not currently believe the two attacks are linked.

The boy was “briefly” a pupil at St Columba’s Catholic Boys School in Bexleyheath, south-east London, in 2022.

The South East London Catholic Academy Trust released a statement to say: “We are saddened by the loss of life in Woolwich yesterday of a young boy who was briefly a pupil of St Columba’s in 2022.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

“Our schools will provide support to any of the students who may be affected by this senseless violence.”

The Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: “My thoughts are with the family, friends and wider community in Greenwich following the appalling fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy.

“This heart-breaking violence has absolutely no place in our city.

“I am in close contact with police leaders – an investigation is underway and local residents will see increased patrols in the local area.”

Some 10 teenagers were killed in London last year, nine of whom were the victims of stabbing while one died in a shooting, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.

This was down sharply from 21 teenage deaths in the capital in 2023.

The youngest victim in 2024 was aged 14.

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