TV weatherman Alex Beresford has paid tribute to his murdered cousin, saying the death of the “bright young man” is “yet one more example of a needless life lost to knife crime”.
Nathaniel Armstrong, 29, was killed in west London on Saturday – just 11 days after the Good Morning Britain presenter made an impassioned on-air speech about street violence.
Mr Armstrong was stabbed in the early hours around 100 metres from his Fulham home amid reports of a fight.
He died in Gowan Avenue shortly before 1am – the same street where TV presenter Jill Dando was murdered 20 years ago.
In a statement, Mr Beresford said: “I’m deeply saddened to confirm my cousin Nathaniel lost his life on Friday night.
“We were all so shocked to receive this news yesterday and our thoughts right now are with his mum, his brother and sisters.
“Nathaniel was a bright young man with his whole life ahead of him and this tragedy is yet one more example of a needless life lost to knife crime.”
Friends remembered Mr Armstrong as a “big friendly giant” who loved basketball.
It comes after the weatherman interjected in a live debate about knife crime on Good Morning Britain on March 5.
Describing how he grew up in knife crime-afflicted communities, he said prison is “not a deterrent” to attackers.
“Some of these boys, they don’t fear prison, if you don’t change the environment it won’t change anything and that’s the key thing.
“This has been happening for years,” he said.
Detectives said on Saturday they are hunting a six-foot, light-skinned black male over the murder but no arrests have been made.
One of Mr Armstrong’s friends, who gave his name as George, 30, said: “We don’t know how this happened.
“He’s got a lot of friends who live local to here. He was well known in the local area.
“Everyone in the area would have know him from basketball.”
Police are investigating after a fatal stabbing in #Fulham – the victim, a 29yo man, was pronounced dead at the scene. A crime scene is in place; no arrests at this early stage. Those with info – call 101 ref CAD 179/16March https://t.co/8Z8qDmnJvG pic.twitter.com/cfi8hrWRcE
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 16, 2019
He added: “He was super friendly, a BFG. He looked super scary – six foot seven, big beard – but super friendly. It would shock you how friendly he was.”
Detective chief inspector Glen Lloyd, leading the inquiry, said: “We are appealing for information from those who were out and about in the area at the time of the attack and saw anything of note.
“My team is particularly keen to trace a light-skinned black male, approximately 6ft tall, who was seen near the scene at the time of the incident.”
TV presenter Ms Dando was 37 when she was shot in the head on the doorstep of her home in Gowan Avenue on April 26 1999.