City's 21st stab victim killed near MP's home

A teenager has been stabbed to death outside a row of £1 million homes - the 21st to be killed in London this year.

Frederick Moody, 18, was ambushed close to a senior politician's house and left to die.

Witnesses claimed they had heard the killers shout "leave him for dead" before fleeing the scene in Guildford Road, Stockwell, on bicycles. A 16-year-old was arrested this morning in Brixton over the killing.

Frederick, known as Freddy, stumbled down the road before collapsing from stomach wounds in front of his young sister, witnesses said. It is the fifth teenage knife killing in under a month and comes after a major drive by Met commissioner Sir Ian Blair and Mayor Boris Johnson to tackle the problem.

It is believed Frederick was attacked by a gang of youths who had been waiting outside his home - close to the house of Edward Garnier QC, the Tory shadow minister for justice.

Cynthia Smith, who lives opposite the scene, told how she first thought it was her son who had been stabbed as she ran into the street. She said: "I thought it was him.I ran into the road and saw the boy. It was not my son. He was lying there on the pavement. There was not much blood - it was internal. It was a horrible moment. My friend Evelyn had her hands on him, putting pressure on, trying to stop the bleeding.

"He had his eyes open and was talking to the police. I don't know what he was saying. The paramedics were working on him for about an hour, putting the oxygen mask on and pumping his chest."

Vida Oblitey, a neighbour who described Freddy as like a son to her, said she had been with his mother when he died in hospital last night. She said: "Whoever has done this has taken the only son away from a very happy family."

Ms Oblitey, 52, added: "I had just come home from work and got a call from my kids - they said Freddy had been stabbed. After rushing back I phoned Freddy's mother, who I was with until 5am this morning. I had been at the hospital with her and we were there when it was confirmed he had died."

Frederick had just left his home when he was attacked shortly after 7pm. Residents, including a local GP, tried to treat the teenager before paramedics arrived. He was declared dead at 10.15pm.

Another witness and neighbour, Sharon Smith, 23, said she and her boyfriend ran out of her house after hearing shouts and screams. She said: "He was murmuring and his eyes were just rolling into the back of his head."

Neighbours said the teenager lived with his parents Mary and Kofi and three-year-old sister. Friends said he had spent yesterday afternoon at an organised water fight before returning home drenched for a change of clothes at about 6.30pm.

Shortly afterwards the teenager grabbed a bag and left the house telling his mother he would be back in a few minutes. But half an hour later when the doorbell rang she answered the door to find no one was there. When the bell rang a second time it was a neighbour saying her son had been stabbed.

Mrs Oblitey said: "When Mary came out she saw police and ambulance. She saw Freddie lying there on the street. The paramedics were trying to resuscitate him while she was next to him."

Frederick was trying to enter a construction trade apprenticeship scheme. A family friend said: "I am a decorator and he had asked me for a reference. He had been in a bit of trouble when he was younger but he wanted to better himself. He wanted to work."

He dropped out of a one-year course in business studies at Kingston College last November, a spokeswoman said. She added that Frederick withdrew because of "external issues".

Mr Garnier said today: "There is something clearly very wrong that it's thought perfectly normal to carry a knife and stab someone when you have a disagreement."