13-storey death fall teen named
Thursday, 21 Aug 2008 18:38
16-year-old Ahmed Benyermak dies after apparently falling from block of flats in east London
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A 16-year-old who died after falling from the 13th floor of a block of flats in east London has been named by police.
Ahmed Benyermak was pronounced dead at 16:00 BST yesterday after London ambulance workers attended to him at Paragon Road, Hackney.
The Metropolitan police are appealing for witnesses to come forward over the "tragic and unnecessary death".
Detectives have explained that Ahmed was with a group of friends on the 13th floor of a tower block when a group of youths cycled towards them.
"This caused Ahmed and his friends to leave the area," said Scotland Yard's Detective Chief Inspector Ian Stevenson, who added that Ahmed subsequently became separated from his friends.
"He climbed onto the outside of the tower block via an open balcony and then climbed down several floors trying to escape. He reached the seventh floor when he could no longer carry on. After this point he fell to his death.
"The other group involved are described as black male youths. Some were wearing hooded tops others were wearing bandanas and were riding pedal cycles.
"I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the Ahmed fall from the tower block and anyone who witnessed events prior to him fall to please contact police."
A post-mortem opened at Poplar mortuary showed the teen died from a ruptured aorta.