Shaquille Maitland-Smith Tribute

A 14-year-old schoolboy who yesterday became the 25th teenager to die in a knife or gun attack in London this year has been named locally as Shaquille Maitland-Smith.

Police said the teenager was found with a single stab wound to the stomach in Hackney, east London, late on Saturday night.

He died in hospital just after 8am yesterday.

Shaquille's 16-year-old sister, named as Titi, suffered slash wounds in the attack and remains in hospital in a stable condition.

Of the 25 teenagers murdered in London this year, 19 have been stabbed.

The 14-year-old is the third teenager to be stabbed to death in the capital in just two weeks.

A total of 27 teenagers were murdered in the capital in 2007.

Police, who believe the two victims were involved in a row with a gang of youths before being attacked, are appealing for witnesses.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police were called at about 11:45pm on Saturday to St Thomas's Place in Hackney to reports of a male assaulted. Local officers and paramedics attended.

"The victim, a 14-year-old boy, was taken to an east London hospital suffering a single stab wound to the stomach. He was pronounced dead at 8:12am on Sunday.

"We believe we know the identity of the deceased, but await formal identification before naming him. Next of kin have been informed.

"A post-mortem examination is scheduled to take place."

The spokesman added: "A female, believed to be aged about 16, was also found at the scene with slash wounds. She was taken to hospital where she remains in a stable condition. It is believed the two victims had been involved in an altercation with a group of youths prior to being assaulted."