Westminster killer Samad jailed for life over brutal street murder

A 24-year-old man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years for the murder of teenager Mohamed Abdi during a violent confrontation on a busy Westminster street.

Mohamed Abdi, 19, was found with fatal knife wounds on 4 June 2024 at the junction of Bell Street and Edgware Road, NW1, following a clash that detectives say lasted less than half a minute.

Awad Abdel Samad, of Talbot Road, Westminster, was arrested four months later on 8 October 2024 and charged with murder and possession of a bladed weapon.

He was sentenced on Thursday, 13 November 2025. In addition to his life term for murder, he received 12 months for the weapons charge, to run concurrently.

When arrested, Samad was carrying a large lock knife, prompting a further charge of possession of a bladed article. He was handed an additional six-month sentence, also to run concurrently.

A second man, 27-year-old Mohamad El-Hazzaa, the driver of the Seat Leon involved in the incident, was found guilty in September of perverting the course of justice. He received a three-year sentence on Thursday and was banned from driving for three years and six months.

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Denby of Specialist Crime South described the killing as “a stark and brutal example of the horrors of gang violence,” noting the entire incident unfolded in just 25 seconds.

Samad and Abdi, who knew each other before the attack, had been driving along Edgware Road in separate vehicles when Abdi pulled his Porsche Cayenne behind Samad’s Seat Leon and flashed his lights. Both men and their passengers exited their cars, leading to a violent street fight in which each was armed with a knife.

According to police, Samad managed to disarm Abdi. As the teenager attempted to retreat into his vehicle, Samad stabbed him three times before he could close the door. Officers arrived within minutes and performed CPR before paramedics took over, but Abdi died from his injuries.

After the stabbing, Samad fled the scene in the Seat Leon driven by El-Hazzaa. Investigators later discovered Samad had travelled to a hospital in Luton using a false name in an attempt to hide injuries sustained during the fight.

El-Hazzaa further attempted to evade detection by swapping his phone and booking a flight out of the country. When he returned to the UK in November, police arrested him at the airport.

DCI Denby said detectives used “advanced analysis of technical data” and clear CCTV footage to identify the men, trace their movements and build an unassailable case.

“We will continue to work tirelessly and use all our resources to bring violent criminals to justice and make London a safer city,” he said.

Police say the combination of CCTV evidence and phone data was critical in reconstructing the events of the night and establishing the roles of both Samad and El-Hazzaa in the deadly attack.