A third man has been arrested after a young British model was found stabbed to death on Thursday, Jan. 11, on a London street.
The model, named by fashion brands as 25-year-old Harry Uzoka, was found slumped in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, about 4 p.m. on Thursday. Police believe he was assaulted and stabbed at Ollgar House, in Ollgar Close before he staggered to Old Oak road. He was pronounced dead on scene shortly afterwards.
Friends and fans have paid tribute to the British model, describing him as an “inspiration to black models” and an “absolute icon.”
A post-mortem examination revealed that he had been stabbed in the heart.
Shortly after his death, two men, aged 27 and 28 were arrested on suspicion of murder. The 28-year-old has been released, and the 27-year-old has been released under investigation.
Uzoka was signed to the top modelling agency Premier Model Management, which helped launch the careers of Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer.
The rising star had worked for brands such as Mercedes, G-Star RAW, and Zara and appeared on billboards in the UK and the U.S.
“I always heard his name surrounded with beautiful energy, and words of joy & pride in his journey,” he wrote.
Detective Inspector Beverley Kofi called the stabbing “another tragic murder.”
She added: “We are aware of reports suggesting that the stabbing occurred during the course of a robbery. At this stage, we do not believe this to be the case but we retain an open mind about a possible motive.
We are continuing our appeals to public to help to piece together what happened - who the victim was seen with, the incident itself and the immediate aftermath.”
“If you were in the area at the time and saw anything that could be of significance to the investigation, we would urge you to get it touch right away.”