Two boys arrested on suspicion of murder after New Year's Eve stabbing
A 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy have been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of 16-year-old Harry Pitman on New Years Eve, the Metropolitan Police said.
Harry, 16, was stabbed to death in Primrose Hill, north London, on Sunday evening while waiting to watch a fireworks display. The Met police described the incident as "an altercation" as crowds gathered in the park. Harry died just minutes before midnight. Officers said there is no evidence that the killing was gang-related.
Around 100 people - including Harry's mother, brother and sister - gathered at Downhills Park in Haringey, north London, on Tuesday evening to pay their respects to the teenager, with many carrying flowers and balloons. Tottenham Hotspur fans are also planning to pay tribute to him on Friday evening when their team play Burnley in the FA Cup.
Harry's sister Tayla, 19, said in a TikTok video that her brother was a "good boy" who had a "heart of gold" and would not have been involved in violence. She said: "Harry was not in any way shape or form involved with any gangs or anyone who could cause trouble. He's not ever been in trouble with the police and people are making it out like Harry died because he did something wrong, when my brother's the victim here. And I'm sick of this narrative that's being portrayed that Harry deserved to die because he was involved, but Harry didn't deserve to die because he wasn't involved."
In the emotional video, Tayla said: "We're already grieving as it is and now, on top of that, we've got people saying that our baby boy, who's a victim, an innocent victim, his death was warranted because it was gang-related when it wasn't. I just want everyone to know that Harry was a good boy, and he would never hurt anyone."
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Officers at the scene in North London (PA)Detective Chief Inspector Geoff Grogan said: "This is a fast-paced investigation, and my team is working around the clock to identify those responsible. This is clearly a significant development, and we are keeping Harry's family informed."
He added: “Our enquiries so far have established that there was no racial or gang element to this incident, it appears to have been a spontaneous fight between two people who didn’t know each other, that quickly escalated to extreme violence. Despite having made arrests, I am still very keen to hear from anyone who has footage or information that could assist our investigation, particularly if you can name any of the people in the images.
Harry was just 16“I would also like to thank everyone who has come forward so far, the response from the public has been exceptional. Please continue to come forward if you can help.”
In total five people have been arrested in connection with the murder. A man, 18, and two other teens, aged 15 and 16, who were arrested earlier this week have been released on bail pending further enquiries. If you have information, you can call the investigation team direct on 020 8785 8099.
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