A father was viciously stabbed to death after ‘trying to stop his friend from being robbed’, said an eyewitness.
Lee Casey, 39, was rushed to hospital, where he later died, following the attack in Rush Common at around midday on Thursday.
Two men, aged 44 and 59, have been released on bail after they were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
A friend of Mr Casey, who is understood to have lived in the Brixton area, claimed he was protecting his friend after a fight started.
The friend told the Evening Standard: ‘Everyone knew Lee because he grew up here and it’s a tight community.
‘His mate was being robbed and he stepped in to stop the fight.
‘He was a Good Samaritan.’
The friend revealed Mr Casey was a ‘talented footballer’ who nearly became a professional but his hopes were dashed when he broke his leg.
He also described his friend as a ‘kind and affectionate person’.
His family reportedly arrived at the scene minutes after the stabbing and have been left ‘devastated’, his friend added.
A post-mortem examination will take place in due course.
Detectives said they are keeping an ‘open mind’ over the motive of the attack.
This year there have been nearly 90 stabbings in London, which have killed more than 50 people.
Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: ‘We are following a number of lines of enquiry with a review of CCTV footage and witness statements moving at a pace.
‘The investigation is still in its early stages and I believe that there may be others who saw what happened or may know who was involved.
‘We are piecing together a schedule of events leading up to this horrific murder and your information, not matter how insignificant it may seem, could be the small detail that completes the picture.’
Anyone with information about the incident should contact police on 101.
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