A man stabbed to death at Notting Hill Carnival has been named as Takayo Nembhard, a 21-year-old rapper from Bristol.
This story has been updated – Takayo Nembhard’s pregnant girlfriend has shared an emotional tribute
Chris Patrick, who managed the rapper known as TKorStretch, told the PA news agency: “As you can imagine we are all in shock.
“He went to Carnival with his younger sister and friends to have a good time.
“This is the worst possible ending for a talented kid.”
The 21-year-old was one of seven people stabbed at the carnival – the other six survived. Police said that 74 officers were injured over the two-day event and some of those injuries were the result of assaults.
TKorStretch had more than 300,000 plays on one of his songs on Spotify and nearly 11,000 monthly listeners.
A murder investigation was launched after the stabbing on Monday night, and police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.
Dr Alison Heydari, commander of local policing, said: “There were hundreds of people in the immediate vicinity when this incident took place.
“I would urge anyone who saw anything, who has video footage or who has any other information that could assist officers, to come forward.”
The carnival, held for the first time since the pandemic, descended into chaos on Monday night. Police said 209 arrests had been made at the carnival by early Tuesday, including:
• 46 for assault
• 36 for possession of drugs
• 33 for possession of an offensive weapon
• 27 public order offences and eight sexual assaults
• 35 arrests the force labelled “other”
• 10 for possession of psychoactive substances
• seven for drink/drug driving
• five for criminal damage
• one each for theft and robbery
‘He was close to greatness’
Mr Patrick recalled his first meeting with TKorStretch when the rapper was 19 in a post on Instagram.
The post said: “That meeting took us on a journey… we recorded some great music together.
“His talent was endless and I can tell you guys he was close to greatness!”
Mr Patrick shared his condolences to the musician’s family – his mother and father, brother and two sisters – and said he also had a girlfriend and a “child that will never meet his father”.
He hailed his friend as a “good kid, a good guy” and said what happened “breaks my heart”.
‘Violence has no place on our streets’
The Metropolitan Police said that at about 8pm on Monday evening officers became aware of a stabbing on Ladbroke Grove under the Westway flyover.
Police and paramedics provided first aid treatment to TKorStretch and he was taken to hospital, where he later died.
Several other stabbings and violent incidents were also reported, the police said.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said he was “sickened” by the stabbing.
“Violence has no place on our streets and we are doing everything in our power to root it out,” he said.
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