'My kids are petrified going to Shepherd's Bush,' says Reform London mayor candidate Laila Cunningham after fatal stabbing

Reform UK’s London mayoral contender Laila Cunningham has told how her children are “petrified” of going to Shepherd’s Bush after a fatal stabbing there.Bus driver Auguste-Marie Bile-aka Amoa died after being shot in ClaphamPA Media“My own kids swim in Shepherd’s Bush. They’re now petrified of going there. And as their mum so am I. “We were there last weekend. It increasingly feels like nowhere is safe. “Week after week it’s another stabbing, another shooting, another family getting the phone call every parent dreads.”“Sadiq Khan can keep telling us London is safe, but that means very little to families living with this fear,” she added.But Sir Sadiq has rejected claims of a “lawless London” with high numbers of shootings and stabbings.Earlier this week, he hit out at Donald Trump and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK who have sought to argue that the capital is plagued by crime.He posted on X: “The loudest voices online aren't always the most accurate. “New data shows our homicide rate is lower than every US state, while murder rates are at record lows.“The evidence is clear: our approach to tackling crime and its causes works. It’s driving down violence right across the capital.”Mayor of London Sir Sadiq KhanPA ArchiveScotland Yard said a man, aged 48, had been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after a woman was fatally stabbed in Shepherd’s Bush, west London.Read MorePolice were called to reports of a stabbing shortly before 8.30am on Tuesday, 18 August, at an address on Askew Road, Shepherd’s Bush.Officers attended the scene with the London Ambulance Service where two women, aged 52 and 32, were found with stab wounds.Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, the older woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers.The 32-year-old woman was taken to hospital.Detective Inspector Richard MacKenzie, who is leading the investigation, said: “We believe this to be an isolated incident within a residential address, but we know it will cause concern locally.”There were 97 homicides in the capital in 2025, down 36 per cent from 153 in 2019 and 11 per cent fewer than the 109 in 2024.The Met said last year also had the lowest killings since 95 took place 11 years ago in 2014.The force stated that 2025 saw a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people - safer than comparable global cities such as New York at 2.8, Paris (1.6), Toronto (1.6), Berlin (3.2), Los Angeles (5.6), Chicago (11.7), and Philadelphia (12.3).Just days ago, detectives investigating the murder of 25-year-old Auguste-Marie Bile-aka Amoa renewed their appeal for information.The Transport for London bus driver died on Willington Road, Clapham, at around 10pm on Monday, 10 August.Following the shooting, officers arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of murder after he attended hospital with a gunshot wound. He was later discharged and released with no further action following further police enquiries.Police officers near the scene on St Bartholomew's Road, Newham, east London, where a man in his 40s was found inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.PASeparately, detectives launched a murder investigation after a man in his 40s was found inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds at around 3am on Tuesday August 18.He was pronounced dead at the scene in St Bartholomew's Road, Newham.