Karim Samms: 'Much-loved' teenager who attended anti-crime boxing academy shot dead in North Woolwich

Shot dead: 17-year-old Karim Samms
Facebook / Fight for Peace
Tom Powell9 April 2017
WEST END FINAL

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A "much-loved" teenager who was a member of an anti-crime youth boxing academy has been shot dead in east London.

Karim Samms, 17, died at the scene in North Woolwich after being shot on Friday night.

He was a member of Fight for Peace, a boxing academy which trains and educates youths to keep them out of gangs.

The charity’s founder and director Luke Dowdney paid tribute to the teenager after his death.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened following the tragic death of Karim Samms, a long time and much loved member of our London Academy," he said.

“Karim was shot and killed in North Woolwich on Friday evening, aged 17. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved ones and friends at this extremely difficult time.”

Another Fight for Peace member, Sophie Newnes posted on Twitter: “RIP Karim! It's such awful news to hear that one of our family at @fightforpeace has been murdered but it really drills home why we need FFP.”

Friends of Karim have also taken to social media to pay tribute to a “lovely” boy.

One friend, who uses the Twitter handle @Yolomyass, tweeted: “RIP KARIM! Cutest boy ever & it’s a shame that your life was taken. Rest in paradise love.”

The scene of the fatal shooting in Rebourne Way
Google Streetview

A close friend took to Facebook to say that “this has broke my heart in pieces”. He continued: “I can remember everything we did together, all the laughter and fun we had.”

The Met police said officers were called to the shooting in Rebourne Way at 10.44pm. They also found another man in his early 20s in nearby Claremont Road. It is not clear whether the two shootings are linked.

The second man was rushed to hospital where his injuries were being treated as “not life-threatening”.

Fight for Peace is an international charity with another branch in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. It works on projects in 25 different countries, helping hundreds of seven to 25-year-olds.

Anyone with information about the incident should call police on 0203453715 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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