First picture of boy, 15, stabbed to death at skate park

The mother of a boy stabbed to death in a skate park has told how she tried to intervene after he fell into the wrong crowd.

Elton Gashaj, 15, was today named as the victim of the fatal stabbing in Salt Hill Park in Slough, Berkshire on Saturday.

His mother, Vera Gashaj, said that before his death, she had warned authorities about her son’s safety after noticing he had started to get into fights.

She told The Sun: ‘I told the police my son was not safe.

‘Two or three times he was in a fight. He had a broken arm. He told me he fell off his bike. He said he was OK.

‘He got into the wrong crowd. He kept saying he was going to change.’

The mum-of-two, originally from Kosovo, added: ‘I wanted to help. He meant everything to me. He was my baby. He was my superstar – he’d just lost his way.’

Police said Elton was stabbed after a fight between boys known to each other turned violent.

He was treated by paramedics who battled to save his life at the park but was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. He suffered a single knife wound, police said.

Two boys aged 15 and a third teenager aged 17 have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are in custody, Thames Valley Police said yesterday.

Officers believe the attack may have been witnessed by other youths, some of whom may have filmed it on smartphones.

Residents said the park had a reputation for being unsafe and a popular meeting place for drug users and young people.

Elton had a brother Redon, 20, and attended Slough and Eton Church of England School.

Nena Miftari, mother to Elton’s friend Shpat, said on Sunday: ‘I didn’t sleep a minute last night.

‘He was very polite. Because we speak the same language, he was always referring to me as auntie.

‘I feel heartbroken. I saw him on Friday, he was on a bicycle, laughing with kids and now this.

‘He was a really nice boy, a really handsome young man. I know his mum, she is a very good woman,’ she told MailOnline.

Zee Choudhary wrote on Facebook: ‘This boy was my nephew’s friend, known to be a humble and sweet young man. My heart breaks that a young life has been lost over some silly argument.

‘Youngsters need to realise that knives do not solve problems. Please use words, not weapons.’

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Shearwood said: ‘I believe that a number of other people were in the skate park at the time this occurred, so I would like to appeal to anyone who saw this incident to come forward, if they have not already done so.’

He stressed it was an isolated incident, adding: ‘This is a fast-moving investigation. Our officers are working to ensure we identify all of those responsible for this offence.’

Salt Hill Park has witnessed a number of violent crimes including the fatal stabbing of Ismail Mohamed, 24, in 2017. Three men were jailed last year for his murder.