BRANDON McNeil stabbed Shane Jerome to death while he was working as a stuntman on a music video.
The horrific crime featured in BBC series The Met — here we take a look at what happened and where McNeil is now.
Who is Brandon McNeil?
Brandon Aldon McNeil stabbed Shane Jerome to death in front of his girlfriend and onlookers on July 21, 2021.
Jerome was sitting on a motorbike when McNeil, who was 18 and riding a Santander pushbike at the time, knifed him in the chest.
McNeil also swung the blade at a second man on a quad bike, who was part of the group near Brixton Underground station in south London.
Stuntman Jerome was driving as part of a convoy of vehicles, including a green Lamborghini, featuring in a drill rap video for artist Chariffe Greaves, who goes by stage name Reef.
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Medics and members of the public tried to save Shane as London's Air Ambulance landed nearby — but despite their efforts he was pronounced dead at the scene around 25 minutes later.
Jerome could not be saved as he had been stabbed through the heart.
Shocked onlookers told how the victim rushed towards an ambulance clutching his chest following the savage assault at around 8.45pm.
One witness said: "I saw the ambulance and a guy lying on the floor.
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"The paramedic was on the phone and seemed quite stressed and what was strange is that he didn't want to touch him.
"A passerby intervened and started performing CPR on him and then a woman came to help before the police arrived.
"The victim was running towards the ambulance clutching his chest.
"He actually opened the ambulance's front door and got in, but then he came back out. He was kind of stumbling backwards, and fell to the floor.”
He added: “He looked like he had a lot of blood on him, down his arm and on his chest.
"I thought they were play-acting or something, but then I saw the blood trickling down the road.
"It's almost as though there was a delay and then he suddenly realised he'd been stabbed."
Where is Brandon McNeil now?
McNeil is serving a life sentence in prison.
It has not been reported which jail he is being held at.
He was initially sentenced to 24 years, which was reduced to 20 years and 247 days on appeal.
When will Brandon McNeil be released from prison?
McNeil, of Vauxhall, south London, was charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of an offensive weapon in July 2021.
He appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing on July 27 — almost a week after the vicious attack.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones said: "It is not known if the video was in some way provocative or in some way gang related, but it does seem to have been perceived as a provocative act by those involved [in the attack].
"Jerome is seen riding his own motorbike as part of a convoy of high performance vehicles featured in the film.
"CCTV shows [McNeil] run at Jerome to stab him in the chest and then to place his hand on the body of a green Lamborghini motorcar, also part of the convoy featured in the film.
"He then turned on the driver of another vehicle, a quad-bike, and swung his knife. That was Pierre Johnson. Happily he missed his target."
McNeil pled guilty to all of the charges.
On May 27, 2022, when he was 19 years old, McNeil appeared at the Old Bailey and was given a life sentence of at least 24 years.
Judge Sarah Munro, QC, told him: "Shane Jerome was adored by his family, by his long-standing girlfriend and by his friends, many of whom are here today to pay their respects to him and to see you punished for snuffing out his life.
"He had no convictions and unlike you there is not a shred of evidence that he was involved in any criminal or gang activity.
"Loved ones are here today and their grief is tangible in this court."
The judge added: "You are closely associated with the '7' or 'L' gang.
"The police investigation has uncovered your interest in, if not obsession with, lethal weaponry and violence.
‘You have made recordings in which you have recorded rap lyrics glorifying the carrying of knives and the use of them to kill your rivals. One such video was uploaded less than a week before the murder.
"Your Instagram account is in your gang name and contains photographs of you proudly brandishing knives in known gang territory just like the weapon you used to kill Shane.
"Even more chillingly, a week after the murder, three videos were recorded on your phone of you playing with knives and bragging about your skill with them.
"A fourth video was of the murder scene after the killing which had been sent to you.
"In addition, you had a deadly collection of lethal knives at your home."
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On appeal, judges later reduced the 24-year minimum term to 20 years and 247 days.
Representing McNeil, barrister Rajiv Menon KC argued Judge Munro hadn’t given enough weight to mitigating factors — such as McNeil's age and the fact he was the victim of human trafficking at a young age.
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