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Man has throat slit in fatal London stabbing ‘for refusing to give someone a cigarette’

A man was stabbed to death in south-east London on Sunday morning (Picture: SWNS)
A man was stabbed to death in south-east London on Sunday morning (Picture: SWNS)

A man had his throat slit in a London stabbing for refusing to give someone a cigarette, a shopkeeper has said.

The victim, believed to be in his 30s, died after he was stabbed in the neck in Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, south-east London, shortly after 3am on Sunday.

Shop workers say he was stabbed to death when he refused to give a man a cigarette.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene outside a 24-hour off-licence.

The shop’s assistant manager, Muhammad Khan, said his cousin was working when an argument broke out inside the store.

The man was stabbed at an off-licence in East Dulwich (Picture: SWNS)
The man was stabbed at an off-licence in East Dulwich (Picture: SWNS)

He said both men involved in the fight were black and in their 30s or 40s.

Mr Khan said the whole incident from start to finish lasted about 20 seconds and that the knife was about six inches long.

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He said: “They had an argument about cigarettes. My cousin was here, he was manager.

“The guy who had the knife came in about five or six minutes after the man who got stabbed.

“The guy with the knife asked the other for free cigarettes, like as a favour or something. I don’t know whether he knew him.

“They had an argument and he took out a knife. Everyone was trying to stop him. A member of staff behind the counter and other customers tried to stop him too.”

He said he had never seen the man with the knife before.

Forensics workers at the scene of the stabbing in south-east London (Picture: SWNS)
Forensics workers at the scene of the stabbing in south-east London (Picture: SWNS)

The assistant manager said the area was “very quiet” and they never had any trouble with customers.

He added: “We are always open late, but this is the first time.

“We have had no trouble around here – it’s very nice, all educated and wealthy people living around here.”

No arrests have been made and enquiries into what happened are ongoing, the Metropolitan Police said.

Formal identification and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course, the force added. Police have appealed for information.

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