Family tribute to teenager killed outside school gates

The family of a 15-year-old boy stabbed to death in north London told today of their devastation.

Kasey Gordon suffered fatal injuries after he and three schoolfriends became involved in a fight with a man only yards from the gates of Park View Academy school in south Tottenham.

Kasey staggered away and collapsed bleeding. He was pronounced dead minutes later, while his friends, two aged 14 and one aged 16, were taken to hospital with injuries which were not life-threatening.

Kasey's distraught family, including parents Oswald and Verona, brother Keiran and sister Karisha, from the Green Lanes area of Harringay, paid tribute to the "funny, smart, athletic and ambitious" teenager.

His father Oswald, 54, an assistant environmental engineer, said his son's death last Thursday was a "terrible loss".

He said: "We are devastated. We did not expect this thing to happen. It was not until we saw the body that it came through to us 100 per cent what happened.

"Without doubt he would have had a bright future. He had this natural charisma that people were attracted to and that made him popular.

"You can see that from the tributes people have put on Facebook. Throughout Kasey's life, every time he has got a school report back he has got a good report. He was a very likeable chap and the other children looked up to him as a leader."

Kasey's brother Keiran, 18, said the popular teenager was the captain of Park View Academy's basketball team and wanted to take up the sport when he was older.

He said: "He was funny, smart, athletic and ambitious. He was caring. He was popular, even at primary school.

"He had multiple choices for what he was going to do when he was older. He was very athletic, you could give him a sport and he would just do it."

Sister Karisha, 21, said: "He was destined for greatness. He didn't have a girlfriend but the girls liked him. He was a very handsome boy.

"We are just taking each day as it comes. It will always be painful."

Park View headteacher Alex Atherton said: "The whole school community is in shock as we mourn the tragic loss of our student.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as well as the other three pupils who were injured."

Serif Aslan, 33, is accused of murdering Kasey in West Green Road, South Tottenham. He was due to appear at Highgate magistrates' court today.