Video exclusive: Families of Croydon's knife crime victims speak out
The relatives of five young Croydon people killed on the streets have told of their loss at an Advertiser knife crime summit.
Santhiya Murddi, whose brother Nilanthan was killed in Broad Green in the early hours of Saturday, was among those who attended. In the videos below, they talk from the heart about the impact knife crime has had on each of them.
They bravely and honestly answered a series of questions we put to them. Click on the links on the right to see what they said.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for an interactive timeline and map showing the stabbings in Croydon this year.
Santhiya Murddi talks about her brother Nilanthan
Jenny Ward talks about her son Billy Ward
Yasemin Aray talks about her cousin Evren Anil
Isaac Atram talks about his son Eugene
Anita Brown talks about her son Gavin Brown
Below is an interactive timeline and map with details of the knife crime and stabbings which have plagued our borough since the start of the year.
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by jo, thornton heath
Tuesday, September 16 2008, 12:57AM
“tj why dont u just shutup , how dare you fcome on here and say these things. i feel sorry for every family and friend members of the victim. noone deserves to have their life taken.”
by TJ, Bradford
Saturday, September 13 2008, 11:59AM
“I only really feel sorry for the family and friends of Billy Ward. Gavin Brown was a gang member who attacked his killer who stabbed him in self-defence, Eugene Attram was also a gang member who went into rival gang territory shouting "SUK, SUK, SUK" "RAP, RAP, RAP". It could easily have been him on a murder charge, If what Mr. E says is true about posters referring to Nilanthan Murrdi as a fallen soldier, then he was probably a gang member too and he had been expelled from school in the past. Evren Anil wasn't even killed with a knife, he was punched in the face and smashed his skull on the ground. I can understand that his family are devastated that they have lost someone they love, but if they don't like how this country has turned out they should go home to Turkey. Billy Ward was the only English victim, killed in a racist attack by two Black Africans whilst making his way home. Before you accuse me of jumping to conclusions, Billy's own father was the one who suggested this, not the BNP or the National Front or any other racist groups.”
by Croyboy, Croydon
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 8:25AM
“What strikes one about this story is that it shows knife crime - along with gun crime - in this area (In MOST areas?) is 90% imported.
Do we need it?”
by Mr E, Croydon
Tuesday, August 26 2008, 2:24PM
“There were posters up in Broad Green yesterday describing Nilanthan Murddi as a "fallin soulja". Not quite the innocent he's been made out to be?”
by Chas, Croydon
Saturday, August 23 2008, 10:59AM
“If you have kids please ask them if they know of someone who carries a knife.
The kids and youngsters do know who are carrying weapons in the borough.
Any information you can get on people carrying knives please pass onto the Police anyway you can.”