Teen stab victim was 'lovely, funny', family says

The family of a teenager stabbed to death in west London have paid tribute to the "funny, kind, caring, lovely" young man.

Maliki Sharma died in hospital after suffering multiple stab wounds in an attack in Victoria Road, Feltham on Monday afternoon.

In a statement released on behalf of his family, a friend said the 18-year-old was a "lovely boy" who was close to his mother and older brother.

He said: "It's just devastating, it's absolutely devastating. He was such a funny, kind, caring, lovely young man. He had his whole life ahead of him."

Maliki was a student at West Thames College, where he was training to become an electrician.

The family friend said: "He wanted to go down that route - get a trade, do his own business, so that he could look after his mum, that's what he always said."

He added: "He really, really was a lovely boy. He was cheeky, funny."

A crowdfunding webpage has been set up to help support his family through the loss and help with funeral costs. By Thursday evening, it had raised more than £12,000 in donations.

"It's amazing support from people," the family friend said. "People are so generous and it's just so heart-warming."

He said Maliki's mother "kept her boys so tight" and and was broken by the loss.

"She really is amazing, her whole life is devoted to her boys. I don't know how she's going to cope with this, I really don't," he said.

Two 16-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of murder and possession of an offensive weapon earlier this week in connection with the incident.

They have since been bailed pending further inquiries.

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