Schoolgirl, 15, stabbed to death near bus stop in Croydon as teenager arrested

27 September 2023, 10:40 | Updated: 28 September 2023, 09:45

Read the latest: Pictured: Hero schoolgirl, 15, stabbed to death in Croydon 'when she stepped in to protect her friend'

A 15-year-old schoolgirl has been stabbed to death at a bus stop in Croydon, south London.

The girl was wearing her school uniform when she was stabbed. Paramedics battled for an hour to save her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police confirmed the girl's death in a statement, adding: “Our immediate thoughts are with this young girl’s family."

Scotland Yard said a teenager had been arrested at around 9.45am in the Croydon area.

“At this early stage we believe that he may have known her,” police said.

One witness said she was stabbed on board a bus and when it happened "everyone ran off."

"She must only have been about secondary school age," the witness added.

Police said they were called at about 8.30am today to reports of a 15-year-old girl stabbed on Wellesley Road in Croydon.

Police, paramedics and the air ambulance attended. They tried to save her life for nearly an hour but she was pronounced dead at 9.21am.

Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain said: "Our immediate thoughts are with this young girl's family who are facing the most tragic of news. Our officers are with the girl's family to support them.

"I am in contact with the local community, who are clearly as concerned as we are about this tragic incident. I shall continue to update them throughout the day."

London Mayoral candidate Susan Hall said: "This is truly awful. A young girl making her way to school has lost her life in the most horrific circumstances.

"I cannot imagine what her friends and family are going through right now and my thoughts are with them."

Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon, said: "I am devastated to hear that the teenage girl who was stabbed in the town centre this morning has tragically died.

"The Council are in touch with the police and will fully support their investigations. Our whole community’s thoughts will be with the victim’s family and friends.

"A suspect, who is believed to have known the victim, has been located and arrested by local police officers, and I would like to thank all those who responded so quickly and professionally to the incident."

Wellesley Road was shut northbound between the Whitgiff Centre and St Michael's Road.

Video footage from the scene shows a large police and ambulance services response at a bus stop with four ambulance vehicles nearby.

A number 60 bus can also be seen in one picture, surrounded by police cars, with officers standing nearby.

One witness told LBC earlier: “There were ambulances and police all around the area.

“Traffic was still moving at this point and people were being transferred from a bus onto different ones as it happened just by the bus stop outside the Whitgift.

“A policeman said to me and a few other women it was a stabbing.

“He said the perpetrators hadn’t been found at this point, they had ran towards east Croydon.”

The Sun newspaper reported a witness on the number 60 bus to Streatham Station, who didn't want to be named, said: "Someone attacked a young girl.

"The victim was a schoolgirl, she must only have been about secondary school age. She was wearing a green school uniform.

"When it happened everybody ran off the bus."

Transport for London (TfL) has diverted its 60, 407, and 455 routes due to the incident.