A teenager who dreamed of a better life in Britain was knifed to death just weeks after moving from Italy.
Sabri Chibani, 19, was attacked inside a house near Stretham Common, south London, before staggering outside and collapsing in the street.
Witnesses said a young man, believed to be Mr Chibani’s brother, fought to save the teenager before he was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.50pm.
The victim’s father told Italian news website Blitz Quotidiano: ‘I am destroyed. Sabri was a boy who everyone loved.’
The death of a 17-year-old in Canning Town came after 19-year-old Sabri Chibani (pictured) was fatally stabbed on Sunday
Friends who paid tribute to the youngster described him as ‘easygoing and friendly’, who ‘never had any problems with anybody’.
Nadir Ayoub, 21, who used to catch the school bus with Mr Chibani, told the Evening Standard: ‘We want to know what happened. We are tormented by this news. We are trying to understand it.
‘The family is totally destroyed, they cannot understand it. Sabri was not the type to ever go looking for trouble. I have known him for 10 years, he never insulted or made fun of anyone.’
Sabri was a former player for a youth football team whose family to Italy from Tunisia.
Police and paramedics battled to save the victim for around 40 minutes but he was pronounced dead at the scene in Canning Town
In total, a dozen fatal stabbings have taken place in the first 46 days of 2018=
The capital’s knife crime epidemic appears to show no sign of slowing down after a 17-year-old was yesterday knifed to death in Canning Town
He grew up in Piacenza, 43 miles south of Milan in northern Italy.
His brother Mr Ayoub said Sabri saw ‘a great future for himself’ in London.
The capital’s knife crime epidemic appears to show no sign of slowing down after a 17-year-old was yesterday knifed to death in Canning Town.
The ‘targeted attack’ took place around 8pm, and the youngster was found lying in the street last night.
The ‘targeted attack’ took place around 8pm, and the youngster was found lying in the street in Canning Town last night
Police and paramedics battled to save the victim for around 40 minutes but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Acting Detective Inspector Perry Benton said: ‘At this very early stage we are still piecing together what exactly has happened.
‘However we believe the 17-year-old victim has lost his life following a sustained and possibly targeted attack.
‘We would urge anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information, to come forward and speak to police as soon as possible.’
In total, a dozen fatal stabbings have taken place since New Year’s Eve.