Family, friends and teachers have told of their sadness after a ‘polite, intelligent and quiet’ student with a future in designing computer games was stabbed and killed.
Bilal Mirza, 18, was stabbed in the thigh outside Lea House in Salisbury Street, Marylebone, as he walked from dinner at his grandmother's to his home in Dowland Street, Queen's Park on Thursday at 10.40pm.
He was taken to St Mary’s Hospital but died just 45 minutes later.
His family has said he was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’ and they are in disbelief. His brother, Bader Mirza, 19, told the Evening Standard: “It is a tragic thing. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was a good, loving person. He was always humble. He lived a peaceful life and wanted to raise a family.”
Teachers and students at City of Westminster College, where Bilal was set to complete his subsidiary diploma in ICT this July, have described their shock at losing the teen, who they called Belal.
He was aiming to go to university to study computing and was hoping to become a games designer, a subject he particularly enjoyed.
A statement from the college, said: “We are deeply saddened at the loss of Belal and our thoughts are with Belal’s family and friends at this tragic time. His classmates are shocked and dismayed at the loss of a friend and fellow student.
“A polite, intelligent and quiet student, he will be missed, and his absence felt by the others in his tutor group and by all the ICT students who knew him. It has been hard to hear of his untimely death and this is a difficult time for all of us as we mourn the loss of someone so young and full of potential.”
Bilal’s friend, Basel Aghabra, 19, reportedly died after also being stabbed last year.
Police will be in Salisbury Street this evening to appeal for information on the murder.
DCI McHugh said: "I would like to thank everyone who has spoken with us, but would encourage anyone with info to speak with us tonight.”
Before starting at City of Westminster College, Bilal was a student at Paddington Academy. A former teacher calling himself Devin Cokeman, who said he was his favourite student and reminded him of himself, tweeted: "This time last year I was teaching the kid at Paddington Academy. He was straying but had ambition and a great heart. RIP Bilal."
A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared for his first day at the Old Bailey today (January 13) after he was arrested and charged with Bilal’s murder at 3am on Friday.
He has also been charged with possession of an offensive weapon without lawful authority or reasonable excuse in a public place in relation to a multi-tool knife.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8785 8099 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org
