Pictured: schoolboy Quamari Barnes, 15, stabbed to death outside flagship London academy

Mother 'devastated' at death of 'wonderful family boy'  
The victim has been named locally as Quamari Barnes,15. His mother is said to be 'devastated' after his death
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A schoolboy was stabbed to death in front of “screaming” pupils outside the gates of a flagship London academy school.

The 15-year-old victim, named locally as Quamari Barnes, was attacked as he waited at a bus stop in Willesden at 3.30pm yesterday.

He fled back towards Capital City Academy collapsing yards from the gates of the school in Doyle Gardens, a leafy street of family homes.

He suffered multiple stab wounds.

Paramedics battled to save the boy’s life before he was rushed to hospital where he died later.

Quamari Barnes was a pupil at Capital City Academy

Today his devastated family spoke to say he had “just the best heart.”

The teenager’s aunts were comforting the boy’s distraught mother at her Harlesden home and one said : “His mother can’t believe he has gone, she is devastated.

“Quamari had the best heart. He was a wonderful family boy. We just don’t know why this happened.”

Floral tributes lined up at the gates of Capital City Academy

Today pupils from the school, one of the first academies to open in Britain, laid flowers outside the gates to remember their classmate.

One message said: “Since year 7 till now you have made me smile.” Another described him as “a pure soul.”

A parent who laid flowers said that her children were classmates of the teenager.

Police and forensic teams at the scene of the fatal stabbing on Doyle Gardens

She said: “He was a good boy he just went to school said goodbye to his mum and never came back. He was just a nice boy.”

The Capital City Academy, acclaimed as “good” in its last Ofsted review, said: “It is with overwhelming sadness that Capital City Academy must confirm the sudden death of one of its students on Monday 23rd January.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this very sad time; and also with friends, fellow students and teachers. Capital City Academy will be offering a counselling service to students and staff.”

The street outside the school remained sealed off this morning as police carried out house-to-house inquiries and forensic officers collected evidence.

A forensics officer at the scene of the stabbing last night

There have been no arrests.

A neighbour, aged 50, told the Standard: “It happened right after school. All the kids were running around like usual but then it just went quiet.

“I got up to draw the curtains and saw kids running away, screaming.

“Some school kids were crowding around another boy who was on the floor.

“The police turned up in a van and an ambulance took him away. There were loads of kids hovering around and police had to order them to go home.

“The kids can be rowdy sometimes playfighting and pushing over bins but I never imagined something like this could happen.”

Another witness said: “All I know is that the lad was stabbed after being chased up from the bus stop opposite Roundwood Park. He was screaming ‘he’s going to stab me’ repeatedly whilst his attacker chased him.

“He was then stabbed just outside Capital City Academy and passed away in hospital.”

Another neighbour, 48, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “He was still talking and he said goodbye to his mum in hospital.

“It’s awful. The poor parents. I’m a father, I’ve got kids, I want them to live. I want them to grow up in an environment where it’s safe.

“You see a few fights round here, but it’s more handbags at dawn. This is another level.”

The boy is the second teenager to be murdered in London this year. Both died from stab wounds.

A man in his 20s is fighting for his life in hospital after a separate stabbing attack in Homerton. The victim was knifed in Harrowgate Road after being chased by a gang at around 6pm last night.

The incident comes as the Met launched a week long action against rising knife crime in London.

Tributes to the teenager poured in on social media following news of his death.

Shavonne Zoey wrote: “Words can’t describe how heartbroken I am.. Rip my lil bro Quamari.”

Community worker Hepzibah Oliver said: “Another premature death of another youth in our NW10 community.

“There will be no more laughter, no more jokes nor teasing heard from 15 year old Quamari, who was stabbed earlier this afternoon outside our local school, my condolences to the family.”

Another added: “Such a bubbly, happy & also cheeky little boy. Rest in peace Quamari.”

Business studies student Djojo Nsaka, 19, was found collapsed from a single knife wound outside his university halls of residence near Wembley Stadium on Friday.

The specialist sports and arts school, in a building designed by Sir Norman Foster, was officially opened by then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2004 as the first in New Labour’s academy programme.

Ofsted inspectors praised pupil behaviour in their most recent report in 2015, in which it was rated as Good.

The Met said detectives from the murder squad were investigating the killing.

Anyone with information should call 101 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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