Dad of Damarie Omare Roye who was stabbed to death says his ‘heart had been ripped out’

The father of a schoolboy who was stabbed to death said he felt his “heart had been ripped out” as he on Thursday made an emotional plea for the teenage knife crime epidemic to end.

Damarie Omare Roye, 16, died in hospital on Sunday after he was found injured in the street in Thornton Heath shortly before 3pm last Friday.

He is the 22nd teenager killed in London this year, 20 of whom died in knife attacks. A post-mortem found his cause of death to be a stab wound.

His father Dwayne Roye, 41, described his son as a “respectful, loving boy” who had never been in trouble with the police.

He said: “This knife crime must end. No parents should have to go through what we are going through. The bloodshed must stop. These boys need to lay down their blades. The problem is out of control. We have no idea why Damarie was stabbed — we need answers.”

Mr Roye said that the teenager had applied for an engineering course after leaving the Oasis Academy Shirley Park in Croydon.

He added: “Damarie and I were very, very close. I feel as if my heart has been ripped out. He was a kind, respectful boy ... he was never in any trouble with the police, just a few detentions at school, that was it.”

A wake was held for the teenager at his school last night. Mr Roye gave a speech calling for more action against knife crime. Damarie leaves four devastated brothers and his mother Georgia, his father said.

Police believe he was stabbed in Bensham Manor Road near the junction with Swain Road, Thornton Heath.

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, who is leading the investigation, said: “Damarie was a young man who was popular among those that knew him ... the investigation into his murder is moving at a fast pace and I continue to appeal for witnesses that were in or around Bensham Manor Road on Friday, July 9 at around 2.45pm to contact us. We believe that Damarie may have been riding a blue mountain bike before the attack.

“Anyone that may have seen him in the area ... or who witnessed the attack, is urged to get in touch with the police.”

They are also asking for information about a dark coloured moped that may have been in the area at the time.

Byron Whyne, 19, of Croydon, has been charged with his murder. Whyne was due to appear before Bromley magistrates on Thursday.

Meanwhile, more than half of young Londoners think that knife crime has increased in their neighbourhood over the last year, a survey revealed today.

More than four in 10 also believed that hate crime and street harassment had risen in their area, according to the Savanta poll of 1,513 Londoners.

The Centre for London think-tank, which commissioned the poll, said Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Met had to ensure young people felt safe as concerns rise that the end of lockdown will lead to an increase in violent crime. There are fears that the death toll for the whole year will exceed the previous high of 29 in 2008.

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