Man who fatally shot boy, 15, in London park jailed for 35 years

A man who shot dead a 15-year-old boy in a children's play area during a family music festival in west London has been jailed for at least 35 years.

Teenager Rene Graham was killed at Emslie Horniman's Pleasance Park in Ladbroke Grove on 21 July 2024. A second person escaped injury after Aderahman Boumzough fled the scene when his gun jammed, which he later rapped about.

The 25-year-old, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court after being found guilty of murder and attempted murder of another man.

Judge Simon James described Boumzough's actions as "callous and cold-blooded" and Graham as someone who had "his whole life to realise his dreams and aspirations."

Following the shooting Graham's mother, Janay John-Francois, appealed for information.

She said: "I cannot begin to describe the depth of my pain after losing my precious angel."

"I cannot begin to describe the depth of my pain after losing my precious angel.

"The emptiness and heartbreak, there are no words that can capture the agony of my loss."

More than a year passed before Boumzough was arrested and charged. A £20,000 reward had been posted by police for information leading to his arrest.

CCTV footage showed Boumzough calmly approaching the children's play area before firing a single shot.

Further footage showed him chasing and attempting to shoot a man but the gun jammed and he fled.

His phone was found to contain a video of him appearing to rap about the firearm jamming, saying: "Don't you hate it when your ting jams? I was prepared to take soul, but Allah had a different plan."

In his sentencing remarks, the judge said Rene was just 15 and "should have had his whole life to realise his dreams and aspirations", adding that it was "impossible not to be moved" hearing his family attempt to describe their profound grief.

James said Rene's mother, father and aunt all eloquently captured "the agony of every parent's worst nightmare", adding: "I can do no more than echo Rene's mother's words that no mother should ever have to stand in a court and speak about the violent death of her son."

He added: "Her and the rest of Rene's family's heartbreak, shock, anger, and the emotional pain of being robbed of the opportunity of seeing Rene grow into a man, were caused by your callous and cold-blooded conduct in gunning down and killing an unarmed and defenceless teenager in what amounted to a premeditated public execution."

He said Boumzough has failed to provide any explanation or motive for "such extreme and gratuitous public violence", and failed to demonstrate "even a flicker of remorse".

The judge said a video clip found on his phone revealed he was in fact "proud and boastful" about his crimes.

The footage was of him appearing to rap about the firearm jamming, including him saying: "Don't you hate it when your ting jams? I was prepared to take a soul, but Allah had a different plan."

The judge told Boumzough his sentence is imprisonment for life with a minimum term of 35 years and 169 days.

Det Ch Insp Alison Foxwell from the Metropolitan Police led the investigation.

Speaking after last week's verdicts, she said: "While only a small number of people came forward, I would like to thank those individuals who provided statements and supported the investigation, including attending court, who refused to allow a dangerous individual such as Boumzough to live amongst them."

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