A 26-year-old man has died and a 24-year-old man remains in hospital following a stabbing in east London.
Two men turned up at a hospital around 4.30am. today after being stabbed in Hackney Wick.
The older victim did not survive his injuries and the condition of the other victim is still being assessed.
Hospital staff called the police after the couple arrived.
No arrests have been made yet, but detectives are investigating what happened.
Matt Kruzinski, who works at a bar that closed amid the investigation, said he was shocked to hear about the incident in the “family-friendly area” which has “changed a lot” for the better in recent years.
Speaking next to the police cordon in White Post Lane, he said: “Hackney Wick is my local drinking spot, I spend a lot of time here.
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“I always felt very safe here. Nothing like this has ever happened while I’ve been working in Hackney Wick.
“The area has a bad reputation because of how it used to be, but it has changed a lot.
“Even at one or two in the morning after finishing work, I’ve never felt anxious about going home alone.
“This is a very family friendly area. It’s normal to see people pushing prams or walking their dogs at midnight.’
Police tape stretches from a bridge over the River Lee Navigation, and what appeared to be blood spatter can be seen outside the cordon, along with evidence markers.
Just before midday, police extended the area with tape on Cadogan Close near Victoria Park, including a footbridge over the river.
Police are patrolling the scene as security teams work to divert pedestrians, including soccer fans on their way to the West Ham v Chelsea soccer match at the nearby London Stadium.
Traffic has also been diverted, affecting local bus routes.
The Met is appealing for witnesses as part of an investigation led by detectives from its special crime unit.
The family of the 26-year-old man has been notified of his death and official identification will be done along with the post-mortem, police said.
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting ref 1222/11feb, or Crimestoppers to contact them anonymously.
The death comes after figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the number of people killed by knives in England and Wales in 2021/2022 was the highest for 76 years.
The ONS said the recent increase was due to an 18% rise in the number of male victims, from 184 to 218, in the 12 months to March 2022.
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