Mum left ‘broken’ after son, 15, stabbed to death on way home from school
A mother left ‘broken’ after her teenage son was knifed to death outside a London school has shared her agony.
Tamim Ian Habimana, 15, died of a single stab wound on July 5 while walking back from his Woolwich school.
The ‘mother’s boy’ would usually be collected but had to walk home that day because she had an appointment.
Hawa Haragakiza, 33, learned her child had been attacked when someone came to her home to show her a video of him lying on the floor bleeding.
She said: ‘The family has suffered, he had two younger brothers, cousins and loving parents, no-one will ever understand the feeling of losing a child.
‘He was a really good boy, so calm, witty and obsessed with showing love to me, everything he did was to make me proud.
‘Tamim loved football and reading, he was a mother’s boy and a family boy, he really loved me and his brothers.
‘Other kids from his school have told me wonderful memories about him, he helped and pushed them to study and do better, I’m sure he would have gone to university and done well for himself.’
Ms Haragakiza has taken the brave decision to speak out ahead of a vigil against knife crime she’s organised on September 25.
The Metropolitan Police said 17 teenagers had lost their lives to knife crime on the capital’s streets up to mid-June but that number has climbed since.
Ms Haragakiza added: ‘My son’s death has brought a huge response from the community, so many people have been affected by this issue.
‘I hope loads of people will be at the vigil to stand in solidarity, everyone in the community has the same fears, their race or religion doesn’t matter.
‘I’m worried for my other children and for young people in this area, they’re in danger if this problem isn’t solved, I never thought this would happen to me but it has.
‘This issue should be the priority for everyone at the moment, we need to help the youth in this environment.’
Despite violent incidents continue to shake London on a regular basis, the Met recently said its summer crackdown on knives has produced results.
It said knife injury victims under 25 had been reduced by 35%, with a 32% drop in all types of knife crime.
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