The teen, later identified as Kelyan Bokassa, died on the scene shortly after emergency services arrived, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Ch Supt Louise Sargent said: "Our thoughts at the time are with the victim's family and friends... I can't imagine what they must be going through right now," BBC News reports.
England, and London in particular, has seen an increasing number of knife attacks in the last year alone. Leader of the organization Project Lifeline, which aims to tackle youth knife crime, Mark Rodney, said this stabbing was "another devastating blow for the community."
"We need to take heed in what's really happening in our communities and start seeking other channels to find solutions," he said. "He's a child, he's a baby, he hasn't lived his life yet. The wounds are not healed yet in the community from the death of Daèjaun. I believe two weeks ago, this young man was paying tribute by flowers to a young man that passed in September, not knowing that today, he was going to be that person. Two weeks ago, he didn't believe he was going to be in this situation today."
Bokassa was an aspiring rapper, per The Independent. His mother told the outlet: “Every time I go into Woolwich I see police officers investigating a stabbing. I guess it is just my turn now. It feels so surreal and it’s something we tried to avoid. I did my very best to prevent that. I could never relax when he was out, my heart skipped when he left through the door. I just go to bed and wait for him. And that’s where I was when I got the knock on the door and the police told me what I was fearing the most.”
