Rapper TKorStretch killed at Notting Hill Carnival

A 21-year-old who died after being stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival has been named as rapper Takayo Nembhard.

Mr Nembhard, known as TKorStretch, from Bristol, was attacked in Ladbroke Grove at about 20:00 BST on Monday.

Police had to pull the expectant father out of a huge crowd and provide emergency first aid. He later died in a west London hospital.

His manager, Chris Patrick, said TK – as he was known – was expecting a child with his girlfriend.

He said he was “a really good, respectful kid” and spent a lot of time in London but lived with his parents in Bristol.

The rapper had also been a footballer, and was part of the Bristol Rovers Academy until he was 16.

“He was talented in many areas, so when the football ended he picked up the music and started recording himself.

“He and his dad came to London and I met him and thought he was a good, really respectful, kid.

“I managed him for over two years. Big labels were interested. He worked incredibly hard on his social media and tried to do what is right for himself and his baby that is soon to come.

“His family is devastated”.

TKorStretch had nearly 11,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, with one of his songs having more than 300,000 streams. His YouTube videos have been viewed more than a million times.

The Metropolitan Police has begun a murder investigation and said hundreds of people were in the immediate vicinity under the Westway flyover at the time.

Cdr Alison Heydari said: “The atmosphere over the past two days has been largely positive and good natured as Carnival should be.

“Regrettably, on Monday evening we saw a number of violent incidents and a 21-year-old man has lost his life.

“Our thoughts are with his family as they come to terms with their terrible loss.”

She said homicide detectives would pursue every possible line of inquiry to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

“There were hundreds of people in the immediate vicinity when this incident took place,” she added.

“I would urge anyone who saw anything, who has video footage or who has any other information that could assist officers, to come forward.”

Mr Nembhard’s next of kin have were being supported by specialist officers, the force said.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he had been “sickened by this awful attack”.

He added: “Violence has no place on our streets and we are doing everything in our power to root it out. I urge anyone with information to contact the police on 101 or anonymously by Crimestoppers. There is no honour in staying silent.”

On Monday evening, the Met announced a Section 60 order was in place within the Notting Hill Carnival area – giving officers stop and search powers – lasting until 01:00 on Tuesday.

“This is following a number of violent incidents and serious stabbings,” the force said.

Police said 209 arrests had been made 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.

The Met Police Federation said at least 34 Metropolitan Police officers had been assaulted.

It tweeted: “Every year our brave officers come under attack at this event. Colleagues dread policing it. And yet nothing changes.”

In 2019, when the event was last held, the Met arrested about 350 people, the majority for drug offences, while 37 were held for assaults on police.

The force also paid tribute to one of its most experienced and “affectionate” horses that died after collapsing while on duty at the carnival on Sunday.

Police Horse Sandown, a 14-year-old chestnut gelding, had policed “all types of events” across London during his seven years of service since being presented to the force in 2015.

Meanwhile, a London Ambulance spokesperson said the service had been called at 18:45 to reports of “a person in labour within the footprint of Notting Hill Carnival”.

“We treated an adult and baby at the scene and took them to hospital as a priority.”