An investigation into the latest crowd crush at O2 Academy Brixton – the place two girls died on account of overcrowding – has a “strong possibility of [leading to] criminal charges”, in response to the case’s senior investigating officer, Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector (DCI) Nigel Penney.
On December 15, 2022, Brixton Academy was swarmed by concertgoers who didn’t have tickets to that evening’s Asake live performance; an announcement made contained in the venue claimed that some 3,000 individuals had “breached the door”, resulting in a crush that despatched eight individuals to hospital (with 4 of them in a crucial situation).
Two individuals later died from their accidents – 33-year-old Rebecca Ikumelo and 23-year-old Gaby Hutchinson – whereas third attendee, aged 21, stays hospitalised in a crucial situation. The venue’s license was then quickly suspended till January 16, when Lambeth Council mentioned they might meet to debate its future.
A spokesperson for Academy Music Group (AMG) – the corporate that runs Brixton Academy – mentioned the venue would keep closed voluntarily till April, so as to accommodate for the police investigations at the moment underway. At the council assembly, it was voted that the venue’s license would stay suspended for an additional three months.
As reported by The Guardian, an inquest into the deaths of Ikumelo and Hutchinson was opened on Friday (January 27) at London Inner South coroner’s courtroom. Penney defined there that his staff had begun “a huge investigation”, described by the DCI as “a vast and complicated process”.
Police are mentioned to be monitoring down and approaching witnesses of the occasions being investigated, in addition to sifting by way of tons of of hours of CCTV footage. On his staff’s course of, Penney instructed the inquest that “there are a lot of lines of inquiry to establish the facts and get to the truth”.
Penney went on to inform senior coroner Andrew Harris that there was a “strong possibility of criminal charges” being made additional down the road, after Harris enquired concerning the potential of murder being dominated in connection to the deaths.
At Penney’s request, Harris granted permission for the inquest to be suspended whereas investigations continued. “It seems to me that if this is a complex criminal investigation, this matter is going to take some years,” he mentioned.
During the inquest, it was revealed that Metropolitan Police have been consulting with Lambeth environmental well being officers, after the Health and Safety Executive declined to be concerned within the investigation.
Present on the inquest had been “dozens” of Ikumelo’s relations and buddies, a few of whom appeared for his or her first media interview for the reason that 33-year-old died. “We want answers, we want to know what happened and we want accountability,” her youthful brother Anthony mentioned. “She was a great sibling. She taught me how to read and write when I was small. She was always trying to help people.”
Ikumelo’s mom, Yetunde Olodo, mentioned her daughter had devoted herself to her personal two youngsters, boys aged seven and 4: “She was an amazing mum. Her children were her life, 100 per cent. The little one keeps asking: ‘Where has mummy gone? When is she coming back?’ They don’t understand what’s going on,” Olodo mentioned.
“We will strive our greatest to ensure her youngsters have a superb life. She was a shining mild and he or she actually cared for her group. As a dad or mum I by no means imagined I’d ever be mourning the loss of a kid. I’m hurting and my household is hurting too. When Rebecca died I misplaced a daughter, a finest buddy and my confidante.
“I am just so sad that her two boys will grow up in this world without having their mother there. Nothing can fill the void that Rebecca’s death has left in our family but it is important that we get justice for her death.”
Olodo and the Ikumelo household are being represented by Cyrilia Davies Knight of Saunders Law, who mentioned in a press release: “Today is the start of my client’s quest for justice. She knows that this journey will be a long and difficult one but she is determined to find out what happened to her daughter and for those responsible to be held accountable. She hopes that the police will do a robust and thorough investigation.”
Following the closure of Brixton Academy, a number of reveals deliberate for the venue have been moved and/or rescheduled.