Stadium worker, 26, 'was gunned down in Wembley after being mistaken for rapper killer'
Written by Millennium on July 9, 2019
A graduate was gunned down in a case of mistaken identity during a botched revenge attack for an earlier fatal shooting, his family said today.
Kwasi Mensah-Ababio, 26, was found slumped on a park bench near his home in Wembley on Sunday evening, less than 200 yards from where rapper Craig “Smallz” Walters was killed on Friday.
Detectives were understood to be looking at the possibility Mr Mensah-Ababio, a steward at Wembley stadium, was attacked as he walked home from work in retaliation for the earlier death.
His uncle Samuel Asante, 55, said: “The police have told the family that Kwasi looks exactly like the man who killed the rapper. Same hairstyle, same build and everything.
“He had stopped in the park for a sit-down … They came from behind and shot him in the head. He was a good hardworking boy, a graduate. He is innocent, they got the wrong man.
“There was a crime scene around the corner, but as soon as the barrier comes down, you have criminals going back and doing the same thing … We are all heartbroken.
“Our poor, innocent boy was just five minutes from home and never got to say goodbye to his mum.”
Mr Mensah-Ababio’s killing in Monks Park was the fourth of the weekend and brought the total number of violent deaths in the capital to 72 this year.
Mr Asante added: “I feel we as a family and the whole community are being let down … I have lived here 30 years and I have never seen anything as bad as this … If the Government doesn’t do something, things will only get worse.”
Mr Mensah-Ababio, described by friends as “quiet but funny”, was pronounced dead at the scene just after 7pm.
Today floral tributes, candles and a Chelsea football shirt marked the spot. His sister said: “There are young black boys dying and we need to change the conversation.”
Father-of-three Mr Walters, in his thirties, died in hospital after he was gunned down outside a chicken shop on Harrow Road at 8pm on Friday.
A Met spokesman said: “Examination of firearms casings recovered from both scenes is ongoing. At this stage, there is nothing to indicate the shots were fired from the same weapon. We await the results of the forensic analysis.”
Superintendent Louis Smith said: “Our thoughts remain with the families of the two young men. We are working closely with the Homicide and Major Crime Command to establish what happened and to identify those responsible.”
Anyone with information on Mr Mensah-Ababio’s death should call 020 8368 0100 or contact police via Twitter @MetCC, quoting CAD 6884/07JUL.
