|
|
 |
| |
‘Killing won’t break spirit of our estate’
Lisson Green residents positive in aftermath of tragedy
RESIDENTS in an estate in Lisson Grove say they will not let the death of a teenager break their community.
Jevon Henry, 18, a sixth former at St George’s School in Maida Vale, was stabbed through the heart yards from his home in Lisson Green Estate.
The attack sparked a wave of hostilities on the estate and family members made an appeal for calm in a meeting called to help find Jevon’s killer.
When the West End Extra visited the estate some residents said they feared reprisals from what was believed to be an attack by rival gang members.
And a shrine set up in Jevon’s honour had become a hotspot for groups of teenagers selling drugs and drinking late into the night.
But more than a month on, and with police having arrested two men in connection with the stabbing, residents, councillors and police say the tragedy has not split the community.
Chief Inspector Paul Switzer, assigned to the patch since Christmas, said: “As a result of the murder some young people have shown incredible maturity.
“The people involved in the trouble on the estate are a small percentage and try to increase tensions when most of the young people do not want that. The small minority of kids that hang about like to be noticed – most people just ignore them.
“There is a lot of good work including the London Tigers and the Four Feathers Youth Club.”
He added: “We respect the shrine in the estate but if we find drug dealing there we are going to deal with it.”
Marco Torquati, manager of the Church Street Neighbourhood Centre, said: “The regeneration work and commitment of residents to improve their neighbourhood does not mean that tragic incidents like Jevon’s murder will never happen, but it does mean that for many the estate is becoming an area of increasing pride and where neighbourliness is improving.”
Jeannette Buckley chair of the Lisson Green Tenants and Residents’ Association said: “Lisson Green is a good place to live and I speak for a large number of people here when I say that we have been moved and reassured by our community’s sensible and mature response to the tragedy of Jevon’s killing.”
Angela McConville, chief executive of the Greenside Community Centre in the heart of the estate, said: “The work we do encourages community cohesion. In the last three months the service has supported 35 residents to help them into apprenticeships schemes.”
Councillor Antony Mothersdale said: “Lisson Green is a pleasant place to live.”
Six men have been arrested and released on bail – and police revealed they are hunting further suspects who have “gone missing”.
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
