Five men, concealed by masks, have been convicted for the murder of a 15-year-old boy and a young adult, as well as the attempted murder of a third individual during a music video shoot.
The victims, 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj, were fatally attacked with knives, while 28-year-old Abdullah Abdullahi sustained serious injuries when the armed assailants targeted the event in Archway, north London, in 2023.
After a protracted trial that began in March, the Old Bailey jury found the defendants guilty of all charges following over 53 hours of deliberation.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 25 and 26.
The defendants, who all pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and attempted murder, are as follows:
During the proceedings at the Old Bailey, it was established that Leonardo and his brother were enjoying the music video shoot with friends when they spotted an individual dressed entirely in black, donning a balaclava, approaching them with a large knife.
While the brother fled the scene, Leonardo was tragically stabbed in the chest, with the blade penetrating his left lung and a major blood vessel, resulting in fatal blood loss.
Klevi Shekaj was stabbed in the back, with the knife penetrating his left lung and causing substantial internal damage. He was transported to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries upon arrival.
Meanwhile, Mr. Abdullahi, who was merely passing by, suffered a machete attack to his knee, head, and abdomen.
The jury learned that on the night of the incident, a sizable crowd had gathered at the Elthorne Estate to film a music video for the artist known as Tight Road Baby.
Although the atmosphere was reportedly joyful, the loud music had upset some local residents, prompting police to arrive around 10:30 PM BST to disperse the gathering.
Several youths remained in the vicinity when the attackers arrived in a taxi, equipped with balaclavas and knives. Notably, two of the assailants were wearing electronic ankle monitors.
Following the “brutal” assault, the taxi transported Chunda, Poponne, Clark, and Lupqi away from the crime scene back to Chunda’s residence.
The jury was also informed of lyrics retrieved from Poponne’s phones, in which he allegedly “celebrated” the murders and boasted about having “got me a trio.”
Four of the accused were apprehended between July 2023 and May 2024. Lupqi, who had removed his electronic tag and fled to Kosovo, was extradited back to the UK in November 2024, where he was subsequently arrested.
Members of the victims’ families were seen wiping away tears in court as Judge Anuja Dhir KC expressed her gratitude to the jurors for their “care, attention, and diligence.”
