A candlelit vigil in tribute to Daniel Anjorin, the teenage boy who was killed in a sword attack while walking to school in east London, was attended by more than 300 people on Sunday.
Daniel 14, was killed in the attack in Hainault, east London, with a samurai sword which was used to deliver fatal wounds to his neck and chest. Four other people were injured in the attack on Tuesday.
The vigil was held at the car park for Hainault underground station, metres away from the scene of the attack.
Although Daniel’s family were not present at the vigil, several people paid tribute to him and provided messages of support to the family, including a 17-year-old boy who knew Daniel.
Harris, who did not want his surname to be mentioned, told the crowd: “He was a kid that was not in any type of trouble. I’m not just saying that. He never did anything wrong. He focused on school, he got good grades, he [went] to church.
“His family are appreciating all your support. They’ve noticed everything you guys are doing community-wise, fundraiser-wise, Arsenal as well. They’ve noticed it all. On their behalf, [I] thank all of you.”
Staff and pupils at Daniel’s school, Bancroft’s in east London, previously described the 14-year-old as a “true scholar”.
A statement said: “We are devastated by the heartbreaking news of the death of Daniel Anjorin, who attended our school. This has left us in profound shock and sorrow.”
Marcus Arduini Monzo, a dual Spanish-Brazilian national living in Newham, was charged with the murder of the teenager along with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
He appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday and has been remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 7 May.
In a statement issued by the Metropolitan police, the family said: “We as a family are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Daniel. It is difficult for us at this time to process what has happened to him and that he will never come home. Daniel had left the house for school and then he was gone.
“Our children have lost their loving and precious brother and we have lost the most loved and amazing son. We would like to send our best wishes to the other victims of this unthinkable incident.
“We would also like to thank the local community for all of their support during this most difficult time. We ask that the media please respect our privacy and refrain from contacting us or our family.”
Ahead of the Premier League match against Bournemouth on Saturday, Arsenal paid tribute to Daniel, who was a fan of the football club, including a moment of applause in the 14th minute of the march.