HORRIFIED onlookers yesterday told how a knife-wielding schoolboy chased his ex off a bus before fatally stabbing a friend who tried to protect her.
Witnesses said that the guy tried to give his ex-girlfriend flowers and a love note on the 60th floor.
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A 15-year-old girl was stabbed to death with a zombie knife after an argument broke out on the 60 bus in CroydonCredit: Twitter
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The schoolgirl was seen carrying flowers to lay for the victim, locally named EliyannaCredit: Jeremy Selwyn
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Forensic investigator seen carrying flower from crime sceneCredit: PA
She was returning her bag of belongings after they had recently broken up, but an argument broke out and he chased after her at the bus stop.
The boy is said to have pulled out a foot-long, serrated zombie knife and stabbed the victim when she jumped to her friend’s defense.
Bridget, a passenger on the bus who is a mother of two, said: “Everyone was panicking. Two bus drivers and a lady were trying to help the girl.
“She was stabbed in the neck and chest.
“It seems like it was a bunch of friends then this happened.”
Security worker Victor Asare described the horrific scene and added: “A lot of people came, everyone got off the bus.”
“(The suspect) ran away. Everyone was crying and screaming. The girl was on the floor.
“We tried to catch him and a lot of people tried to save the girl. I was so shocked, I was shaken. It’s someone’s daughter.
“I finished my work, but I couldn’t sleep, so I came back. I wanted to see if the girl was okay.”
He said the girl, who was wearing a green jacket, looked like she “didn’t want the boy to come any closer” before he stabbed her with a knife that was “black, skinny and about a foot long”.
The girl was named Eliyanna locally.
Her family rushed to the scene in Croydon, south London, but she died 50 minutes after being stabbed at 8.30am.
The suspect fled to New Addington, five miles away, where he was arrested on a tram.
He was in custody last night. Officers were seen placing his flower and love note into evidence containers.
A bloody bouquet was seen on the floor outside Whitgift Shopping Centre.
James Watkins, from the Mainz World youth group, comforted the victim’s family who were alerted by phone
He said: “Unfortunately they didn’t make it in time before she died. They were devastated and in shock. I don’t think it feels real to them.”
The girl was in her GCSE year at the Old Palace of John Whitgift, a £19,000-a-year private school.
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Witnesses say the young man tried to give his ex-girlfriend flowers and a love note on the busCredit: Getty
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Bloodied bouquet seen on floor outside Whitgift Shopping CenterCredit: Peter Jordan
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Police detained a boy (17) on suspicion of murder 75 minutes laterCredit: LNP
The school said: “We are deeply shaken by the senseless and tragic death of our beloved and valued friend and student.
“It will take some time for the Old Court community to come to terms with this terrible news, and we will offer support to our students as we try to do so.
“Above all, we send our love and deepest sympathy to the girl’s family at this unimaginably difficult time.”
Anthony King, head of Croydon’s My Ends community project, said: “The family are devastated.
“I can’t articulate the sound and the tears and the honest heartbreak that happened this morning.
“The girl was about to pass her GCSEs. She had a bright future. Amazing young lady, very articulate.
“One of the young people described her as cheerful and very comical.”
He added about the incident: “They were going to school. Everyone was supposed to be there by 8.45am.
“Their school is not even five or ten minutes from here and unfortunately the young lady didn’t make it.”
Police set up a forensics tent at the scene, and video surveillance was recorded from the bus.
Locals left “Eliyanni and family” cards.
One read: “I’m sorry we live in this crazy world, this doesn’t make sense.
“Fly high above, my mom will watch over you. RIP beautiful forever young. Taken too soon.
“Thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends, God bless them.”
Another said, “Rest in peace little princess. It’s so sad that your life was taken at your peak. You touched my soul.”
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley visited the scene to be briefed by officers.
Chief Constable Andy Brittain, in charge of local policing, said: “This is every parent’s worst nightmare.
“I know the responding officers and our colleagues from the emergency services are devastated by the victim’s death.”
He added: “This is an emotion I share and I know people across Croydon will feel the same.
“The victim’s family have been informed and our thoughts are with them at what must be an incredibly difficult time.
“I can confirm that the arrest was made at around 9.45am in the Croydon area.
“At this early stage we believe he may have known her.
“The crime scene will be set up for some time and I am grateful to the locals for their cooperation.”
Richard Taylor, whose 10-year-old son Damilola was stabbed to death in Peckham, south London, in 2000, said: “Society has fallen apart.
“What’s a boy doing with a knife like that at 8.30 in the morning?
“Something is wrong with society when a 15-year-old girl is stabbed to death on her way to school.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Sarah Jones, Labor MP for Croydon Central, said they were heartbroken that a child had been killed on his way to school.
The girl was the 16th teenager to be murdered in London this year – two more than in 2022.
It is proportionally less than the record number of teenagers who died violently in the capital in 2021.
Cases of police using stop and search powers in Croydon fell by 28 per cent – 10,237 to 7,336 – in the year to the end of August.
The fall comes after a 14-year-old was handcuffed in the neighborhood on his way home from school last year in a case of mistaken identity.
Former Metohija chief Simon Owens said: “Police need to tackle young people who carry knives.
“There has been a big drop in stop and search over the last ten years.
“The police are afraid to stop young people on the street because of the risk of complaints.
“Young people are therefore willing to carry knives because they know that there is little chance of them being found with weapons.
“As well as carrying knives, they are ready to use them and never think about the consequences for their victim or themselves.”
Additional reporting: Julia Atherley
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Police forensics on the number 60 bus yesterday after the horrific stabbingCredit: PA
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Ex-boyfriend’s love note to young girl seen in police evidence bag Credit: Getty
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Police erected a forensic tent at the scene and CCTV was taken from the busCredit: PA
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