A teenager was stabbed in death in Notting Hill in front of horrified tourists and passers-by after fleeing from a gang of youths on bikes. The 17-year-old, named locally as Fola Orebiyi, collapsed and bled to death in Portobello Road last night just yards from busy pubs and restaurants.
Drinkers and staff from the near-by Portobello Star pub rushed to help the student as he staggered down the street. Paramedics and doctors called to the stabbing attempted life saving treatment in the road but the teenager died at the scene.
Witnesses said Fola, who was studying AS levels at sixth form college, was stabbed in a street clash close to Westbourne Grove just yards from the Portobello Arts Club.
He collapsed two doors down from the shop which inspired the book store where Hugh Grant met Julia Roberts in the film Notting Hill. A fight is said to have broken out on a nearby estate before he was chased into the busy road where he was attacked in front of horrified locals and tourists.
One witness said the former Holland Park school pupil was stabbed in the neck. Witness Mark Gettleson heard the cries of staff at the pub as they tried to help the teenager as he staggered down the busy road.
He eventually collapsed outside the cheese shop La Cave a Fromage opposite the “World Famous Portobello Market” sign.
He said: “I got home from the gym and heard a bit of commotion, then I heard someone scream ‘Did anybody see anything?’ I rushed to the window and police were already there talking to the poor boy who was in a bloody heap on the floor.
“There were two large pools of blood where he had staggered down the road before collapsing. People saw him fall down and try to get to his feet again. Police and paramedics tried to resuscitate him for a long time, they did everything they could.
“This will shake people around here to the core. It’s absolutely tragic another young man has died. I’m in shock and we need to get the individuals who did this off our streets. We need to understand, in a meaningful way, why our children are turning to such horrific violent acts.”
Fola was said to be studying for his AS levels at a Holland Park school after completing his GCSEs.
A cousin said Fola’s mother, who lives near-by, was “distraught” and described him as a “caring and lovely” boy.
The cousin, who declined to be named, said the sixth former had a bright future.
She said: “All we have been told is that he was stabbed in the neck … His mum is distraught. we are all struggling to understand what happened.
“There has been an outpouring of love for him because he was genuinely like that, he was a person people wanted to know and be around. “
A neighbour of the teenager told how he saw him alive less than half an hour before he was killed.
Osman Sahal, 56, said: “I saw him outside the house, everything looked normal. He looked happy enough there was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Then a bit later the police arrived and the news hit us. His mother was obviously devastated and we can’t believe it, we are in shock.
“He was a nice boy and very considerate none of us can understand how this could have happened.
“As far as I knew he was never in trouble I suppose we must now wait for the police to investigate.”
The teenager’s mother was today being comforted by family members at their two story house which is just minutes away from the crime scene.
Fola’s mother said she was too upset to speak. Flanked by family members comforting her he said: “I can’t speak to anyone at the moment.”
Close friend Jermaine Farrell paid tribute to a “smart funny” boy who he got to know at secondary school.
He said: “He was a good kid. I’m absolutely distraught. I never associated Fola with any violence like that. Too many kids out here these days getting killed for such stupidness. “
Tributes on social media, where friends posted pictures of him in his school uniform laughing and joking with friends.
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