Victims’ families wept in court as gang convicted over brutal 2023 stabbings in north London

A masked gang has been found guilty of the brutal double murder of a teenager and a young man during a drill music video shoot in Archway, north London—a crime one of them later celebrated in rap lyrics.

Leonardo Reid, 15, and Klevi Shekaj, 23, were fatally stabbed on 29 June 2023 during a surprise attack at a video shoot for artist Tight Road Baby on the Elthorne Estate. A third victim, Abdullah Abdullahi, 28, survived after being chased and slashed with machetes.

Five men — Xavier Poponne (22), Lorik Lupqi (21), Jason Furtado (28), Abel Chunda (29), and Eden Clark (31) — were convicted of double murder and attempted murder after a 15-week trial at the Old Bailey. The jury deliberated for over 53 hours before delivering guilty verdicts.

In the wake of the attack, Poponne, a drill rapper, released lyrics referring to the victims by initials, boasting:

“L died on da block, K died on da block… First time dat I glide I got me a trio.”

‘They set out to kill anyone they could’

Prosecutors said the killings were a targeted, gang-motivated ambush. A crowd had gathered on the Elthorne Estate to film a music video when the group—masked and armed—descended.

CCTV and witness testimony revealed how Lupqi and Furtado orchestrated the attack, enlisting the others and booking a taxi to rush them to the estate. The group hid behind cars before lunging at their victims.

Leonardo’s brother was with him during the video shoot. When the attackers struck, he managed to flee. He returned moments later to discover Leonardo’s lifeless body. The teen had been stabbed through the chest, suffering fatal internal injuries.

Klevi Shekaj was stabbed in the back. Bystanders tried to rush him to Whittington Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Abdullahi was chased and attacked with machetes. He sustained multiple life-threatening injuries, including a punctured lung, fractured diaphragm, and head wounds, but ultimately survived.

Trial marred by violence and flight

During the trial, tensions escalated when Lupqi attacked co-defendant Chunda in the dock, spraying blood across the courtroom and forcing proceedings to pause for a deep clean.

Lupqi had previously cut off his electronic tag and fled to Kosovo, where he was arrested and extradited back to the UK in November 2023. Both he and Furtado were under electronic monitoring at the time of the murders.

Police arrested the five men between July 2023 and May 2024.

Families weep as sentencing awaits

Families of the victims broke down in court as the verdicts were read. Judge Anuja Dhir KC thanked jurors for their “care, attention and diligence” and scheduled sentencing for 25 and 26 September.

In victim impact statements, Leonardo was described as “a bright, loving son, brother and friend” who adored football and music. Mr Shekaj’s family called him “a remarkable young man with a heart full of love”.

Detective Inspector Jim Barry of the Met’s Specialist Crime North said:

“These violent men went into this estate with the intention of killing anyone they could. This senseless act has shattered lives—especially those of Leonardo and Klevi’s families.”

He added: “This dangerous group of men will now spend a long time behind bars, but the pain they caused will endure far longer.”