Alexander Kareem (L) was shot to death in a case of mistaken identity (Picture: PA)
The family of an innocent student shot and left for dead three years ago say they will never ‘rest’ until they bring his killer to justice.
Alexander Kareem, 20, was gunned down near his home in Speard’s Bush, west London, on June 2020, in what is suspected to be a case of mistaken identity.
Nine people, including a boy aged just 16, have been arrested and released over the years in connection to the death of the ‘aspiring computer scientist’.
His exhausted loved ones have long dreamt of a breakthrough – any breakthrough – as they once again issue an appeal on the third anniversary of his death.
Alexander’s sister Khafi, a Met Police officer not involved in the investigation, said: ‘I never thought we’d still be here doing appeals three years on.
‘You can’t kill people and get away with it – what kind of society is that?’
Kabir Kareem and Khafi Kareem, the brother and sister of Alexander, say they are ‘frustrated’ that they are once again pleading for answers (Picture: PA)
‘You may think you’ve gotten away with it, but you haven’t,’ the mother-of-two said, addressing her brother’s killers. ‘We’re not going to rest – it’s not even a choice.’
‘He’s not going to die in vain.’
For the Kareem household, the mood is one of ‘frustration and sorrow’, added the victim’s brother, Kabir.
‘That’s put a lot of us in quite a dark space,’ he said, ‘and we want to move forward from the incident.’
The crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers has increased its reward for information to £20,000, the Met said today.
The force was called to the scene at 12:04am to reports of a man suffering gunshot wounds – Alexander was pronounced dead 45 minutes later.
Alexander had been travelling on an e-scooter along Askew Road in the early hours when he was fatally shot.
Alexander had just popped into an off-license in the west London neighbourhood when he was gunned down (Picture: PA)
Kabir says his family has for years been in a ‘dark place’ (Picture: PA)
His killers, the police believe, drove past him in a white Range Rover mistaking him for someone else.
They later ditched the vehicle, which was found burnt out just 25 minutes later three miles away on Ascott Avenue. While a firearm was never recovered, 9mm ammunition was found at the scene.
Detective Inspector Rebecca Woodsford, Specialist Crime, said: ‘Three years have now passed but our determination to achieve justice for Alexander and his family is undiminished.’
‘Over time people change and allegiances change,’ she added.
‘Those who know something that could help us may now feel like they want to talk to us, and my officers are ready to listen.’
Khafi called on people not to protect Alexander’s killers in a statement shared by London’s police.
‘For the love of God please talk, just speak,’ he said, ‘if you did this, you are not going to get away with it.’
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‘You can’t kill people and get away with it.’