A teenage boy, 14, was fatally stabbed in Croydon yesterday evening.

It is the 27^th teenage murder in London this year. This matches the capital’s 2019 figure and approaches the record 29 killed in 2008.

Police were called to London Road following reports of a fight breaking out amongst a group of teenagers. No suspects or victims were found at the scene.

The victim went to a South London hospital with multiple stab wounds around 30 minutes after police were contacted.

The boy died a short time later and a crime scene has been put in place outside West Croydon Station.

The stabbing follows news earlier this week that three arrests were made after Croydon officers seized four large knives.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told Eastlondonlines there is an ongoing inquiry into the event and further details would be released “as soon as we can”.

Police said in a statement: “Homicide detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command have been informed.”

“A Section 60 has been put in place in the areas of Broad Green, Fairfield, Waddon, West Thornton, Bensham Manor, Selhurst and Addiscombe West until 10.35hrs on November 19.”

Section 60 dictates a police officer can stop and search a person without suspicion.

Identification of the victim has not yet been made public but his next of kin have been informed and a post-mortem will be carried out in due course.

The incident occurred amid what Croydon police have coined “national week of intensification targeting knife crime and violence”.

Under Operation Sceptre, the police have been deploying extra officers to conduct additional sweeps of violence “hot spots” in Croydon.

Inquiries are continuing. Any witnesses are urged to contact police.