The grieving families of a 15-year-old boy and a young man killed in a “brutal” double-murder in Islington have spoken of their heartbreak.
Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj were fatally stabbed in Archway on June 29. Three people have since been charged with their murders, and police are urgently trying to trace a fourth.
Details about the young victims - and the holes their deaths have wrenched in the lives of their families - have now been laid bare in fundraising pages set up to cover the cost of their funerals and support their grieving mothers, both described as pillars of their communities.
Police and paramedics were called to the stabbing in Elthorne Road around 11.30pm on June 29.
Schoolboy Leonardo was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after midnight, while Mr Shekaj was rushed to a hospital in west London where he too was pronounced dead.
Post-mortems later confirmed they both died as a result of stab wounds to the chest.
It is thought a group of around 40 youngsters were recording a music video in the street, before the incident happened.
Mr Shekaj had shared a meal with his mother to celebrate Eid just hours before the fatal attack before going out with friends, a fundraising page set up by his family has revealed.
He and his mother are said to have moved to London from Italy just five years ago “in the hope of a better life” for Mr Shekaj, who was an only child.
The night he died, Mr Shekaj’s mother called him around 11.15pm to tell him she was going to bed, and he reportedly told her he would be home in five minutes.
”Just 17 short minutes later, police were called to the scene of the crime,” said his family on Gofundme.
“At 2am in the morning, [his mother] opened the door to the news that her son would never be coming home.”
The family paid tribute to Mr Shekaj as “a remarkable young man with a heart full of love” - a “radiant and affectionate son” with a “gentle nature”.
“He was respectful, modest and kind beyond words,” they write.
Mr Shekaj had a “passion” for crypto and business. “It is heartbreaking to know that his potential will never be fully realised,” said his family.
“It goes against the natural order of this life that a mother should ever have to bury their child - but it is especially cruel for a mother living alone to bury her only child taken by such an unforgivable act of violence.
“This is something she must grapple with for the rest of her life, a lifetime of ‘what ifs’ and ‘could-have-beens’.
“There are no words that do this justice - no sentence could ever sum up the impact that Klevi had on everyone around him or the hearts he touched. His loss is felt deeply by all who knew him.”
The family thanked locals who came to Mr Shekaj’s aid, for their “immeasurable acts of kindness in trying to help Klevi and save his life” and surrounding him with “light and love” in his final moments.
The family has launched a fundraiser to cover the costs of his funeral and ease the financial burden upon his mother, described as “a loved and valuable member of her local community”. The page has so far raised nearly £11,000.
A separate fundraiser set up by family of Mr Reid reveals the youngster, known as Leo, was just yards from his home when the fatal attack happened.
His family describe him in a Gofundme page as “a bright, loving son, brother and friend” who “loved football, music and his family”.
He leaves behind two little sisters and his mother, a teacher at a comprehensive school, “well respected for her tireless work within the community”.
“For his mother, acceptance is incomprehensible,” said the family. “No mother should have to lose a child to needless violence.
“This will be a long road.
“Leo was just four months shy of his 16th birthday, a cause for celebration for his family and his many achievements. His family wish to honour him on this day and beyond.”
Speaking to the Standard at the scene in the aftermath of the stabbing, a witness described Mr Reid as “a lovely boy from a lovely family.”
She said: “The mother is an amazing person, she works at a school. I don’t know what to think right now, such a nice boy.”
Another said: “There was filming and then all hell let loose. There were a lot of kids, some very young, hanging around. It’s a tragedy. We are all shaken.”
More than £7,500 has so far been raised through the Gofundme page.
Three people from Islington have been charged by police in connection with the investigation. They have been remanded in custody ahead of a plea-and-trial preparation hearing at the Old Bailey on September 22.
Jason Furtado 26, of Halton Road, was charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
Abel Chunda, 27, of Highgate Hill, was charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
Eden Clark, 29, of Huddleston Road, was charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
A provisional trial date has been set for May 28 next year.
Scotland Yard detectives are urgently trying to trace a fourth person - teenager Lorik Lupqi - who is wanted following the double-murder.
The 19-year-old is from the Archway area and also has links to parts of east and south-west London. Police say he “should not be approached”.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood, who is leading the investigation, said on Tuesday: “This marks a significant development in our investigation as we appeal for the public’s help to locate Lorik Lupqi.
“Several weeks have passed since this awful incident and I am confident there are people who know where Lupqi is. I would encourage them to do the right thing by the victims’ grieving families and contact us immediately.”
