Idris Elba calls for ‘tougher deterrents’ to gun-carrying after girl’s death

Idris Elba sent his support to Elianne Andam’s school family as they called for “harder deterrents and punishments” for those who carry guns.

The 15-year-old was fatally stabbed in the neck with a foot-long knife in Croydon, south London, as she walked to school on Wednesday.

Later, a 17-year-old young man, who knew the victim, was arrested, and the police are still questioning him.

London-born actor Elba wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday: “My condolences to the Elianne Andam family at this very sad time.

“It is a shame that the country still mourns the death of children at the hands of knives.

“We MUST impose stronger deterrents and penalties for carrying these weapons.”

Elba, who starred in the hit series The Wire and Luther, has previously spoken out against knife crime and supported those affected by it.

During a youth event organized by the charity We Day UK in 2020, he spoke about his own upbringing in Hackney, east London, explaining that he grew up amidst crime, poverty and gangs, and some of the people in his neighborhood ” they went the wrong way, they’re done. to do a wrong thing’.

Last year he led a campaign alongside former footballer Ian Wright to call for “no more bloodshed” after 30 teenagers “senselessly died” in murders in the capital in 2021.

Under the No More Red initiative, they campaigned for an increase in youth spaces that could provide an alternative to gang violence.

Earlier on Thursday, the Prime Minister said he was “shocked” and “appalled” by Elianne’s death and said penalties for knife crimes should be toughened.

Rishi Sunak told BBC London political editor Tim Donovan: “Everyone will look at this and be as shocked as I am, horrified by what has happened and, frankly, angry. It just illustrates the importance of cracking down on knife crime.”

He also told the broadcaster that his values ​​were that people who commit “the most heinous crimes” should be jailed for life.