A teenage footballer has been stabbed to death near his north London school

Peter Law:

Kiyan Prince, 15, was stabbed in the stomach and arm after an argument with another teenager, believed to be a Somalian boy aged 16, who was seen running away after the stabbing.

Kiyan staggered 500 metres to outside Stamford Court, a block of flats on Kings Drive, where he collapsed.

A sergeant from the Edgware Safer Neighbourhoods Team was present at the school at the time of the stabbing and was at Kiyan's side within two minutes of the attack.

The pupil, who was given a young leadership award by the school earlier this year, was rushed by ambulance to the Royal London Hospital, 15 miles from the scene, in Whitechapel.

An air ambulance attended the scene, but was not used. Kiyan was pronounced dead at 5.54pm.

Kiyan, a member of the Queens Park Rangers' youth team, was described as "one for the future" and a "lovely young man".

The school's principal Phil Hearne said that Kiyan was a model pupil and that his family were absolutely devastated.

This morning, tearful pupils laid flowers at the school gate. One card read: "Now heaven has a new angel."

QPR chairman Gianni Paladini said: "It's a sad day. He was one of our brightest young talents.

"We'll be doing everything we can to help the family through this terrible time and the club will pay their respects in the best possible manner."

QPR head of youth Joe Gallen said: "He was a great lad, a terrific prospect and it's a huge setback for everyone that knew him.

"He was an intelligent, smart, good looking, young man with a very bright future in the game and he'll be sorely missed."

A murder inquiry has been launched, but so far no arrests have been made and no weapon has been found.

The attacker was described as black, aged about 16 and was seen running towards Salisbury Court.

Detective Superintendent Simon Morgan said: "This is a tragic incident resulting in a teenager losing his life.

"We have a number of positive lines of enquiry that we are following up but we would like to hear from anyone that was in the area around half past three.

"It was busy at that time and people have so far come forward but we would like to make sure that we have spoken to everyone."

The death comes a week before a national knife amnesty is due to to be launched.

Police said knife crime has not previously been a major issue or problem in the borough, with an average of only two knife crimes per week.

But Kiyan's death happened only yards from the scene of another fatal knifing last July.

Last July, 24-year-old Abdul Gwalugano was knifed through the heart in Kings Drive. A 14-year-old and 15-year-old were found guilty of his murder in April.

In light of the murder, Barnet police have stepped up high visibility patrols in the Edgware area.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8358 0400 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police hunt London schoolboy's knife killer