Two teenagers fighting for life after 'linked' London stabbings minutes apart

Two teenagers were taken to hospital with “life-threatening” injuries after stabbings recorded minutes apart in east London.Police are treating the stabbings in Dagenham as linked as investigating officers appealed to the public for more information.A man aged 19 and a 17-year-old boy were taken to hospital after being found on Friday evening at two separate locations just streets apart.They were also both arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon.A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Around 6.10pm on Friday 9 October, police were called to reports of a stabbing in Terrace Walk, Dagenham. “The London Ambulance Service (LAS) also attended, and a 19-year-old man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. “He was arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon. He remains in hospital.”Police were then called to a second incident only two minutes later, with officers sent to attend after a report of a teenage boy with stab wounds in Fanshawe Crescent.A 19-year-old man was found with life-threatening injuries on Terrace Walk in DagenhamGoogle MapsA 17-year-old was taken to hospital by paramedics after suffering what are thought to be life-threatening injuries, the force said.“He was arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon, and he remains in hospital,” the Met statement continued.“These incidents are currently being treated as linked and enquiries are ongoing.”Police said anyone with information that could assist their inquiries should ring 101, quoting CAD 5813/09OCT26.Alternatively, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.The borough with the worst knife crime rate in the past year was Newham, with 824 offences logged.Southwark and Lambeth ranked second and third on the list, with 697 and 691 knife related offences recorded respectively.Barking and Dagenham, the borough where the two people arrested were found injured, had 485 total knife offences last year.Read MoreOut of the 13,500-plus knife crime victims recorded in London in the past 12 months, almost 80% of them were male and half of those identified were under the age of 25.