Family pay tribute to pensioner knifed to death while raising money

‘Why would someone do this to a defenceless old man?’: Devastated family pay tribute to mobility scooter murder victim, 87 – as friends say he was targeted for his Ukraine charity money in ‘botched robbery’ after busking at Tesco

Thomas O’Halloran, 87, described as a ‘nice old man’, was killed yesterday in Greenford, West London
Police were called at 4pm to a road near busy A40 Western Avenue and victim was declared dead at scene
Man had been playing his accordion outside Tesco to raise money for Ukraine in the hours before the attack
Police released images of a man ‘they are keen to identify as a matter of urgency’ who was seen fleeing
London Mayor Sadiq Khan says he is ‘devastated’ but faces criticism over the number of murders in capital
It’s thought to be 59th murder in London so far this year and the sixth Met homicide probe in just four days
* Did you witness this incident or do you know the victim? Please email [email protected] *

Friends and relatives of an 87-year-old grandfather who was killed in a ‘botched robbery attempt’ while raising money for victims of war have today blasted his killers as they pay tribute to a beloved and charitable busker.

Thomas O’Halloran, 87, was brutally knifed to death in Greenford, west London at about 4pm yesterday in the latest suspected murder to shake the lawless capital that has seen six murder investigations in the last four days.

The victim, who was well-known in the area and had spent the afternoon busking outside a Tesco superstore to raise money, was attacked in what is thought to have been the 59th murder in the capital so far this year.

Sources close to the talented accordion player now fear he may have been followed by someone in the moments before his death who ‘had been watching him collect his charity money’ for victims of the Ukraine war.

One friend, who had known the retired engineer for more than 20 years, told MailOnline: ‘I can’t believe this has happened. Tom was the most cheerful, jolly person I’ve ever known – not a day went by when he didn’t have a smile on his face.

‘Someone must have been watching him collect his charity money then followed him. An elderly man on a mobility scooter is an easy target and you wouldn’t expect them to put up much of a fight. It’s a despicable crime.’

Today, his family shared powerful tribute to Mr O’Halloran as his grandson, Joey, 20, also spoke of his devastation after his father broke the shattering news to him.

He said: ‘The family are still trying to take in what has happened, it is a complete shock. My father called me this morning, he was very upset and didn’t talk much. I just don’t understand why someone would do this to a defenceless old man’.

Friends and relatives of 87-year-old grandfather Thomas O’Halloran (pictured above playing the accordion before his death) who was killed in a ‘botched robbery attempt’ while raising money for victims of war have today blasted his killers as they pay tribute to a beloved and charitable busker

Mr O’Halloran, 87, was riding a mobility scooter in Greenford, West London, when he was stabbed to death yesterday

A police cordon was set up around Mr O’Halloran’s mobility scooter (above) that was left at the scene of the fatal stabbing in Greenford, west London yesterday

Scotland Yard today released images of a man ‘they are keen to identify as a matter of urgency’ who was seen fleeing the scene of the attack on Thomas O’Halloran. The man was wearing shorts, a dark coloured T-shirt, bright blue trainers, a white baseball cap and white patterned builder-style gloves

After being stabbed in an alleyway just off the busy A40 Western Avenue, Mr O’Halloran continued a short distance down Runnymede Gardens (pictured today) where he succumbed to his injuries

The 87-year-old victim’s mobility scooter, which was well-known amongst locals who often saw him playing the accordion on it outside Greenford station and Tesco, was left at the scene of the crime – pictured yesterday

Saturday: Kacey Boothe

Kacey Boothe, 25, was shot dead in a ‘targeted shooting’

Kacey Boothe, 25, was shot dead in a ‘targeted shooting’ outside a toddler’s first birthday party in Walthamstow, east London on Saturday evening. Mr Boothe was taken to hospital by car, where he died.

Police believe people at the event, reported to be a baby’s one-year-old birthday party in a community centre, may have seen what happened and have urged witnesses to come forward.

Sunday: Sonny Booty

Sonny Booty, 36, was found dead at a house in Lewisham, south east London on Sunday morning.

Christopher Baptiste, 53, was charged on August 15 with murder and was due to appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Stephen Goodman, 60, was injured during a fight in Dagenham

Sunday: Stephen Goodman

Stephen Goodman, 60, was injured during a fight in Dagenham at around 12.06am on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Connor Coveley, 23, has been charged with the murder.

Monday: Li Sung

Mr Sung, 58, was stabbed to death at a Korean restaurant in a side-road off Oxford Street at the heart of London’s West End.

Armed police and ambulance services rushed to Arirang Restaurant on Poland Street, Soho, shortly before midday, and found a man with knife wounds.

Both London Ambulance Service and the air ambulance attended but the victim died at the scene 40 minutes later.

A 60-year-old man, Li Hunan, was today charged with murder.

Monday: Aziza Bennis

Metropolitan Police officers were called to a property close to Acton Town station in the borough of Ealing at 3.37pm on Monday following reports of a disturbance.

School dinner lady Aziza Bennis, 58, was found with stab wounds and died at the scene, before 21-year-old Hanna Bennis was arrested and taken into custody.

Tuesday: Thomas O’Halloran

Well-known busker Thomas O’Halloran, 87 was knifed to death in Greenford, west London

Thomas O’Halloran, 87, who was well-known amongst locals as ‘a regular musician at South Greenford train station’, was attacked at 4.06pm yesterday.

Metropolitan Police officers were called just after 4pm to Cayton Road – near the busy A40 Western Avenue – to reports of a man with stab injuries and he was declared dead at the scene.

His killer is believed to have fled in the seconds after the attack and there have been no arrests, with police appealing for witnesses.

CCTV footage appears to two people making a phone call before Mr O’Halloran drove away, continuing a short distance down Runnymede Gardens, having being stabbed in an alleyway next to the busy A40 Western Avenue.

The pensioner, a retired engineer, had been raising money for victims of the Ukraine war and was described by Scotland Yard’s local policing chief as a ‘much loved member of our community’ following the death which ‘devastated’ Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Police were called and gave Mr O’Halloran emergency first aid until the arrival of the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance – but, despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

This afternoon, police released pictures of a ‘dangerous individual’ seen fleeing the scene of the attack on Mr O’Halloran – who was originally from Ennistymon in County Clare, Ireland – and said officers want to identify him urgently.

His killer is thought to have fled in the seconds after the attack and there have been no arrests, with police appealing for witnesses.

Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood, who leading the investigation, said: ‘We are keen to identify the man in the CCTV images as a matter of urgency.

‘He is clearly a dangerous individual and people are advised not to approach him, but to call us immediately on 999 if they know him or have any information regarding his whereabouts.

‘My team and I have been working around the clock to bring Mr O’Halloran’s killer to justice, but we need your help. If you have any information at all that will assist us with our investigation – no matter how small – please contact us or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously.’

‘I’d also appeal to anyone who might have dash cam or cycle helmet footage that might have captured the incident to get in touch with us.’

It marks the sixth murder investigation launched by Scotland Yard in just four days and has sparked a flurry of criticism against London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who said he was ‘devastated’ to hear of yesterday’s attack.

On Monday morning Li Sung, a 58-year-old man was stabbed to death at a Korean restaurant on Poland Street near Oxford Street in the West End. Li Hunan, 60, was today charged with his murder.

A 36-year-old man was found dead in Lewisham and a 60-year-old man was fatally injured during a fight in Dagenham on Sunday, and a 25-year-old man was shot dead in Walthamstow on Saturday.

A friend who had known Mr O’Halloran for more than 20 years told MailOnline: ‘I can’t believe this has happened. Tom was the most cheerful, jolly person I’ve ever known.

‘Not a day went by when he didn’t have a smile on his face.

‘Someone must have been watching him collect his charity money then followed him.

‘An elderly man on a mobility scooter is an easy target and you wouldn’t expect them to put up much of a fight. It’s a despicable crime.

‘Tom was a man of habit. Every day he would be out and about with his wife who also had a mobility scooter. They would be travelling around at around 10am.

‘At 12pm he would go alone up to Tesco to play his accordion. He would sit outside until the late afternoon then would come back along the path where he was attacked and go to Greenford Station.

‘He’d go to the station at 5pm for a couple of hours. He would be there during the busy time when everyone was coming home from work then go home at 7pm.

‘He had a Ukrainian flag and had a box in his basket for people to put money into.

‘Sometimes people would give him £10 or £20 at a time.’

The friend added: ‘Tom was a well known figure in the local community and was known as someone who brought joy into people’s lives.

’He was so upbeat and positive. He was always laughing and telling jokes.

‘He used to drive around in a three wheeler car. The police took it away one day because it hadn’t been taxed for a long time.

‘Even that didn’t appear to stress him out and that’s when he got his mobility scooter.’

Neighbours of the pensioner were also left stunned by the tragedy.

Anushka Burnett, 37, said: ‘Tom was such a lovely guy. He was always bubbly. He was always making jokes and laughing.

‘He was just a lovely caring man. He made a lot of effort with all the neighbours. I had conversations with him every day.

‘He just couldn’t do enough to help people out with little jobs.

‘It just doesn’t seem right. He was so friendly. He had no problems with anyone.

‘He was out all the time. He has never complained about anything happening while he was out. He felt very safe and comfortable getting around. That is what makes this so shocking.

‘He loved his music. As well as the accordion he played other instruments and he used to sing in his back garden. It was old classical music. He was a very good musician.

‘I just can’t imagine why anyone would do this.’

Metropolitan Police officers, pictured at the scene today, were called just after 4pm to reports of a man with stab injuries

A police cordon and tent in Greenford, west London, this morning after a man riding a mobility scooter was stabbed to death

Police went door-to-door in Greenford this morning asking for CCTV footage. They are also appealing for dashcam video

Police guard a cordon in Greenford today as investigations continue following the death of the elderly man yesterday

Police at the scene in Greenford, west London, this morning after a man riding a mobility scooter was stabbed to death

Adrianna Sowinska said: ‘It was a great shock when I heard what happened. He was a lovely person. People would come up to him and talk to him. He never did anyone any harm. It’s shocking that somebody would do to a defenceless person who needs a mobility scooter to get around.

‘He’s very well known in the area. He was a real character. I can’t believe this has happened.

‘I see him everywhere. He plays his accordion outside the station and outside Tesco. He is a good player. He told me he would do it as he just loved playing music and making people happy. He used to play nice melodies.’

Another neighbour told how he learned of the tragedy when police arrived at Mr O’Halloran’s house on Tuesday evening.

He said: ‘I heard screaming coming from the house. It was his wife. She was so distraught when they told her what had happened.’

Mr O’Halloran’s family were too upset to talk about the tragedy. His son Daniel, 44, said: ‘My family have got nothing to say.’

The well-known busker who was brutally murdered: Thomas O’Halloran, 87, raised money for victims of the Ukraine war as he busked at his local Tesco and train station

Thomas O’Halloran was well-known in the Greenford area for busking outside the train station and Tesco, and in recent months he had used his musical talent to raise money for Ukraine.

The 87-year-old from Ennistymon in County Clare, Ireland played the accordion from his mobility scooter, which had a Ukraine flag tied to the basket.

A friend said he headed to the Tesco Superstore at around 12pm every day to play his instrument and would stay there until the late afternoon.

He would then travel to Greenford Station to catch the commuter rush before going home again at about 7pm.

Friends and neighbours have praised him as ‘a very good musician’ who ‘just loved playing music and making people happy’.

Mr O’Halloran uploaded a video of himself playing the accordion to YouTube in October 2020.

In the video captioned ‘A few songs on the Accordion’, the elderly man can be heard saying ‘here we go, ready? wish me luck’, before he starts to play.

Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, who is in charge of policing for West London, including Ealing, said: ‘Mr O’Halloran had his life needlessly snatched away in a shocking act of unprovoked violence.

‘I understand that the community will, quite rightly, be shocked and appalled by this incident as I am too.

‘Mr O’Halloran was a very well known and much loved member of our community. My thoughts are with his family and friends. I’d like to appeal for their privacy to be respected while they come to terms with their loss.

‘Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command, with the assistance of my officers, have been working tirelessly over the last 20 hours to understand what has happened and to identify who is responsible for this horrific crime.

‘The public will see extra officers patrolling the area over the coming days. They are there to help and protect you – so if you have any concerns or information that you want to share then please approach them.

‘I realise the impact incidents like this have on our communities, but I’d like to reassure you that we are doing all we can to solve the horrendous crimes we’ve seen across London over the last few days.

‘I stress that London remains one of the safest cities in the world, but we need your help and so please come forward with any information you have about this awful incident or any other violent crimes.’

London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted last night: ‘I’m devastated that an elderly man was killed in a horrific attack this evening. My thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones.

‘I’m in close contact with @MetPoliceUK who have an additional uniformed presence in the area. I urge anyone with information to come forward.’

But Mr Khan has been criticised by many for the huge numbers of violent crimes in the capital in recent weeks.

Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham Greg Hands tweeted yesterday morning that Mayor Khan needs to ‘get a grip’ after the fifth stabbing in a single weekend was confirmed.

The stabbing of Mr O’Halloran is thought to be the 59th murder in London so far this year.

According to the Met’s crime dashboard, the number of homicides in the capital in the year to July was nearly 15% down on the previous 12 months.

But last year saw a surge in the number of homicides caused by knives or sharp implements, with 74.4% of the 133 murders last year being knife crimes, a 15.6% increase from 2020.

Frasley Coutinho said the stabbing in Greenwood took place right in front of his house and he managed to catch some of the incident on CCTV.

He said: ‘I saw a couple of people gathering around him and then he drove past and stopped further up.

‘I had a rose plant blocking it so I couldn’t see any more.’

Mr Coutinho added: ‘It is terrible. This is a peaceful area. It happened in broad daylight in summertime on a busy road as well.

‘I see him all the time. I have lived here for the last few years and he was jolly. We would say ‘hello’ to each other. He was quite a peaceful guy going on his way.’

Footage from the scene posted online showed paramedics running to treat the victim.

Officers are now appealing for dashcam video or cycle helmet footage from anyone who was on the Western Avenue A40 eastbound near Cayton Road and Welland Gardens between 1.15pm and 4.15pm.

Mr O’Halloran managed to drive his mobility scooter (pictured yesterday) a short way along Runnymede Gardens before he succumbed to his injuries

Officers at the scene in the early hours of this morning. Evidence tents covered the victim’s mobility scooter and his body

Neighbours have expressed fear after the latest in a spate of murders in the capital. Ali Gaber, 80, who lives near the cordon, said: ‘I am very worried. He is an old man and somebody stabbed him. What were they looking for?

‘Of course I am worried, I am over 80 too and am disabled. I feel really unsafe. This is quite a quiet area and everybody knows each other.’

Simran Advani, 25, a senior property manager who lives nearby, told how she often saw Mr O’Halloran on his mobility scooter every few days and that he ‘always used to smile’.

She said: ‘He was a nice old man. He often goes round the block, he always went on the road not the pavement. This is a very quiet area, you never hear any noise on this street. It’s scary for a man in his 80s to be killed here.

‘Most people on this road are elderly, you never hear any noise and never see any young people. It was just like a normal day today. There’s a parade of shops just round the corner under the train tracks and through an alley way which he might have been heading from or to.’

Another neighbour, who did not wish to give his name, said: ‘It’s not nice, it’s normally quiet here. It’s out of the way. I feel sorry for his family – I’m not entirely shocked with the amount of stabbing you hear on the news.

‘There are not many people coming and going, there’s not really any foot traffic. There’s playing fields and a school nearby. A lot of people park their cars here.’

He said there was a bus stop nearby, but ‘other than that not many people are walking around here’.

Forensic experts in blue overalls could be seen loading bags containing various items into police vans as dozens of officers guarded the scene.

A police cordon had been thrown over the site of residential semi-detached houses. It covers a T-junction between Cayton Road and Runnymede Gardens, which runs parallel to the A40 main road.

Police continued to examine the scene overnight into the early hours of this morning after the man was stabbed to death

The man’s mobility scooter was taken away from the scene in Greenford last night to be examined by detectives

The pensioner’s body was taken from the scene in a private ambulance in the early hours of this morning

Emergency services workers in Greenford battle to save the pensioner’s life after he was attacked yesterday afternoon

The ambulance and air ambulance rushed to the incident where an elderly man was found yesterday afternoon

Two blue, yellow and white crime scene tents marked ‘MPS’ were pitched up next to the A40 on Runnymede Gardens, where forensic officers were working under bright lights on the road surface.

The London Ambulance Service was called out at 4.10pm.

A spokesman said: ‘We sent a number of resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, a medic in a fast response car and an incident response officer. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.

‘Sadly, despite the best efforts of our crews, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.’

Anyone with footage of the incident is asked to upload it using this online form. Anyone who knows the man in the image, or has information about the murder, is asked to call the incident room on 020 8358 0300 quoting 4691/16AUG. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or by clicking here

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