Croydon stabbing: 15-year-old girl killed on way to school – what we know

What’s happening? A 15-year-old girl has been stabbed to death on her way to an independent girl’s school in Croydon.

Eyewitnesses to the attack said passersby attempted to resuscitate the victim, whose name has not yet been released by authorities, following the stabbing at around 8.30am on Wednesday – but she was pronounced dead at the scene less than an hour later.

Police responded within minutes, arresting a 17-year-old boy who is believed to have been known to the schoolgirl just over an hour after the incident took place.

Speaking at a press conference following her death, Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain told reporters: “This is every parent’s worst nightmare.”

London mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement: “I am absolutely heartbroken by the death of a 15-year-old girl in Croydon this morning. My thoughts and prayers are with this young girl’s family and friends and the whole community, at this unimaginably awful time.”

Read more: Girl stabbed to death in Croydon school bus horror as police arrest teenager (The Independent)

Yahoo News rounds up what has been happening in the aftermath of the stabbing…

Eyewitness accounts

Police and forensic investigators at the scene near the Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon. (Alamy) (Lucy North, PA Images)

Eyewitnesses from the scene said the stabbing had taken place outside of a bus, with the driver and a passerby attempting to save the girl.

“I was on the bus before and came off and walked back down, I saw them resuscitating her,” one witness, known as Bridget, told the BBC.

“The driver was holding her and a lady. The emergency services were already here when I walked back.”

Another passerby said the girl’s friends tried to rush to her aid as she was lying on the floor.

“I turned around and could see that someone was trying to resuscitate her,” Michael Fyffe told Sky News.

“There were loads of people who had just come off the bus and then I think two of the girl’s friends came out and they were trying to rush over towards the body.

“So myself and a few of the other people tried to hold her back and just say, ‘Look let them try and help your friend’, and she was just screaming, ‘Is my friend dead? She’s my best friend.'”

What police said

Chief superintendent Andy Brittain speaking at the scene in Croydon. (Getty Images) (Lucy North – PA Images via Getty Images)

Chief superintendent Andy Brittain, in charge of local policing, said: “Our immediate thoughts are with this young girl’s family who are facing the most tragic of news. Our officers are with the girl’s family to support them.

“I am in contact with the local community, who are clearly as concerned as we are about this tragic incident. I shall continue to update them throughout the day.

“My officers were immediately on scene to provide first aid and support paramedics.

He added: “This is every parent’s worst nightmare and I know the officers who responded this morning – along with our emergency service colleagues – are devastated at the victim’s death.

“This is an emotion I share – and I know people across Croydon will be feeling the same.”

The girl was stabbed on Wednesday morning. (Getty) (Dan Kitwood via Getty Images)

‘This will happen again next week’

Youth worker Anthony King, who runs a crime reduction organisation in Croydon, met up with the victim’s family and said these types of incidents were happening too often.

He told BBC Radio London: “This is the fourth or fifth time that I’ve had to look a parent in the eye and tell them their child has died. It’s the worst day of my life and I can’t imagine what that feeling is like [for them].

“The noises and screams I heard this morning will sit in my spirit indefinitely. Keep the family in your prayers and thoughts.”

Passer-by Christopher Ita added: “This will happen again next week, and next month, it’ll just be somebody else.”