The family of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, who was fatally stabbed with a sword as he left his home to walk to school in Hainault, London, has said they have lost their “most loved and amazing son”. In a statement, his family expressed their sadness at the loss of their beloved son, who they described as hardworking and well-loved. It has been three days since a fundraiser for the family was set up by a family friend, which has already raised over £125,000. Arsenal, the football team that Daniel supported, also paid tribute to him during their Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
“We would like to send our best wishes to the other victims of this unthinkable incident. We would also like to thank the local community for all of their support during this most difficult time,” says the family statement. On Saturday, the north London team held a minute’s silence before the match against Bournemouth, while a banner reading ‘RIP Daniel’ was held among the crowd. More than 7,000 people have donated to the online fundraising page set up by Kwasi Asare, a friend of Daniel’s brother.
His school, Bancroft’s in Woodford Green, described him as a “core member” of the community and a “true scholar” who had a “positive nature and gentle character”. He was a hard worker who brought a sense of happiness and joy to everyone he met. According to the school’s statement, “Losing such a young pupil is something we will always struggle to come to terms with”. Meanwhile, Marcus Arduini Monzo, a 36-year-old man from Newham, East London, has been charged with Daniel’s murder, as well as two counts of attempted murder, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
The tragedy has highlighted the devastating impact of knife crime in London. According to police data, there were 15,080 knife crime offences in London between April 2020 and March 2021, up from 13,591 offences in the previous year. The Met Police has urged anyone with information about Daniel’s murder to come forward and help bring his killer to justice
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