The rapper and former footballer Takayo Nembhard, known as TKorStretch, was fatally stabbed on the final day of Notting Hill Carnival at the age of just 21.
One of seven stabbings reported during the event, this was the only attack that proved to be fatal. Police had to pull Nembhard out of a huge crowd to provide emergency first aid. Later he died in hospital as a result of the injuries obtained.
A former footballer for Bristol Rovers Academy, at the age of 19 Nembhard began to pursue a career in rap. Only two years into his career move, Nembhard had already accumulated nearly 11,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. With one of his songs having more than 300,000 streams, this career change was proving to be successful. His manager, Chris Patrick, commented on his exemplary work ethic and respectfulness, adding that ‘big labels were interested’ in his music. In Patrick’s words he was ‘close to greatness.’
Exacerbating the tragic death of this emerging musical talent, Nembhard was also a father-to-be. His partner, Oshian Edwards, who is expecting their child, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the rapper. She called him ‘my sweet beautiful boy’ and ‘the most kind hearted, loving, funny and caring person.’ In the heart-felt tribute, Edwards also wrote of how their unborn child ‘kicked me’ as she ‘held [his] hand for the last time.’
Photo credit: @oshianedwards_ (Instagram)
The family are being supported by specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police who have begun a murder investigation. The Met Police have urged the hundreds of people in the area to come forward with any information. They have added that they will be investigating every possible line of inquiry in this case. Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has additionally urged witnesses to report anything they might know. Expressing that he is ‘sickened by this awful attack’, Khan wrote on Twitter that ‘violence has no place in our streets.’
Indeed the Metropolitan Police were out in full force over the Notting Hill Carnival weekend, armed with the Section 60 order that gives officers stop and search powers. Resultingly, a total of 441 people were stopped and searched across the two day carnival. There were 209 arrests by Tuesday morning for offences including sexual assault, assault and possession of drugs.
This fatal incident comes just weeks after the same tragedy occurred during Manchester’s Caribbean Carnival. Pie Radio reported on the death of a young man in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Since, the police have named the man killed as Javell Morgan. Five men in total have been charged with attempted murder and 18-year old Mikyle Bucknor charged with the possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Investigations into this incident by Greater Manchester Police are ongoing.
