A "Harry Potter" Actor Stabbed to Death

[javacodeman]

A teenage actor who is to appear in the new 'Harry Potter' film was stabbed to death Saturday during an early morning barfight.

Robert Knox, 18, was murdered outside the Metro bar in southeast London as he tried to protect his brother Jamie, 17, from a man with a knife.

The attack, which left three other people with serious stab wounds, took place just a few miles from where Jimmy Mizen, a 16-year-old altar boy, was murdered two weeks ago while trying to shield his older brother.

Knox's parents, Sally and Colin, paid tribute to their son in a statement.

“Rob was kind and thoughtful and would always help out others; he would always spend his last penny on other people instead of himself,” they said.

"The life and soul of the party, he was very outgoing, loved sports and would always strike up a conversation with people. He was respectful to others and adored by his family and friends.”

Knox, who overcame bullying as a child to break into acting, had just finished filming a small part for 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' which is due in theaters in November. He plays a Ravenclaw student called Marcus Belby.

An unidentified 21-year-old man was arrested in connection to the stabbing.

Knox is the fourteenth teenager to be violently killed in London this year.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358003,00.html

 

[Dstoerm]

I am very sorry for the tragedy of this young mans' death. However, since England has outlawed defensive guns, the increasing knife use by criminals will surely lead to a knife ban of some sort, which will then lead to a ban of kitchen knives, screwdrivers, baseball bats and hammers.

The British experiment in disarming its popluation has clearly been proven a failure.

Remember this lesson in this Fall's elections.

 

[sadlsor]

Anyone have an update on Britain's proposed "point law?" Seriously, I almost choked with laughter when I first heard this last year.

Seems that ever since the gun ban, there has been a sharp upturn in stabbings. Debate in parliament was ongoing whether to remove sharp points from kitchen knives.

Next phase of violence, I suppose, will be ruthless "slicings". Then they'll be peeling potatoes with a spoon.

 

[javacodeman]

It is sad, but it is also weird--which is why I posted it. Just the wording is foreign to us "gun toting" Americans.

I remember someone else posting a story fro the UK that said something about the growing "knife culture" and what could be done to stop it.

You know, over there you get "stab proof vests."

As its already been pointed out (and I know I preaching to the choir), weapon bans don't fix violence because there is always the next best weapon lying around.

 

[sadlsor]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-begin-knife-amnesty-479510.html

http://www.insight-security.com/facts-knife-crime-stats.htm

Oh well. This could get tiring - anyone can Google "britain knife law."

 

[plexreticle]

Parents hope Potter actor death not in vain

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world...ath-not-in-vain/2008/05/26/1211653909304.html

Parents hope Potter actor death not in vain


May 26, 2008 - 1:37PM

The parents of the young Harry Potter actor who was killed in a stabbing attack in London hope his death will force the British government to do something about the growing problem of knife crime.

Robert Knox, 18, was stabbed to death during a fight outside a pub that left three other men with serious knife wounds in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The teenager had a small part in the forthcoming film Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, as student wizard Marcus Welby and was to appear in the next film of the series as well.

His parents, Colin and Sally Knox, said they hoped his screen fame would help bring attention to the problem of knife crime.

"If it serves that purpose, then Robert will have done something else exceptional in his short life," Mr Cox told British television.

"With knives there are no winners, only losers.

"If you are a person who carries a knife, think about the consequences and, for my son's sake, don't do it."

Three of his friends also sustained serious injuries in the incident: a 21-year-old was stabbed in the neck, a 16-year-old in the chest and a third man, aged in his late teens or early 20s, sustained stab wounds to his hand.

The 21-year-old is still receiving hospital treatment, while the other two have been discharged.

A fifth man, 21, was taken to hospital suffering facial injuries. He was later discharged, and has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Scotland Yard said they did not believe the incident to be gang-related.

Knife crime has blighted London in recent months.

Earlier this month, a man was knifed to death on Oxford Street, one of the busiest shopping areas in the country, and 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen died after his throat was slashed after declining to become involved in a fight with a man in a bakery.

Tributes poured in today for Robert Knox and friends and relatives left bunches of flowers outside the bar, and a stream of messages were posted on social networking Web site Facebook and the International Movie Database Web site.

Robert's brother Jamie, 17, who was thought to have been the initial target of the attack, said: 'My relationship with Rob was a very strong one. We'd do almost everything together and he just took me everywhere he went. He was just my best friend.'

Mr Knox's last words to his son were to warn him about the dangers of being caught up in the culture of carrying a weapon.

"We had a chat about the problems of people carrying knives and steering clear of problematical little areas that you could put yourself into," Britain's Daily Mail newspaper reported.

 

[cuervo]

The British experiment in disarming its population has clearly been proven a failure.

Unfortunately, it has been a success. The government has seen that it can disarm its population and all that will happen will be a few complaints from a fringe minority. If the complaints become main-stream, they can pass more stringent laws and claim to be attacking the problems the earlier laws didn't cover.

England's ban spread to Australia and is threatening Canada, and there are plenty of US politicians looking at it for here. Throw in some "free" health care and social security system that will pay you not to work, and the majority will be kept happy, which is all that is necessary.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

"If you are a person who carries a knife, think about the consequences and, for my son's sake, don't do it."

Sorry, but I think I prefer the Crocodile Dundee solution to the so-called knife crime problem: "Knife? That's not a knife. THIS is a knife ..."

 

[Picard]

That's true. It has worked to effectively control the population, which was the intent all along.

 

[Baba Louie]

Wrong place, wrong time.

Makes me wonder about 17 and 18 year old kids and bars and such...

Obviously, some things are different nowadays or maybe just different there. 14 teenagers violently killed in 5 months is 14 too many (it should go without saying)... unless compared to some of the numbers you can find elsewhere in the world. I'm just saying.

Wrong place, wrong time.

 

[Old Dog]

The death of any young person is tragic, but how is this gun-related?

 

[Picard]

It's gun related because despite England's crazy gun bans, crime is still high.

 

[RP88]

because it gives you a glimpse of what this country will look like possibly in the future if people start to not care.

whatever though. we're not Britain.

 

[soccergod04]

the increasing knife use by criminals will surely lead to a knife ban of some sort

There already is a ban of some sort. They can't even carry a pocket knife with a locking blade.

 

[igor]

Earlier this month, a man was knifed to death on Oxford Street, one of the busiest shopping areas in the country, and ...

What they don't mention is, that this particular "victim" was this utter scum. Sometimes karma rules.

 

[give]

do you think the increase of stabbings have anything to do with their drug problem?i mean i seen a show on some educational program that showed openly that they supply drug abusers with that garbage?p.s.,also seen a show on how the cops wear stabb proof vests

 

[throdgrain]

Guys there's some things you probably dont know about the situation, after all why would you?

First thing, London is a big city, comparable with New York in population. Second, in the U.K we have never had the right to defend ourself with a gun, so it's not as simple as it all looks.

The thing is, London has a huge immegrant population. Not second generation, but straight fresh from Africa and who know where else. A lot of these kids, mostly black kids, they just do not think the same way as the native population of this country. They basically just couldnt care less. Our soft government pays them to do nothing, offers free housing and health care, and *hopes* that they will see that it's really a great place to live.

Unfortunately you and I know different dont we. So while they are abusing the system that we pay for, they are also running around joining gangs and stabbing and shooting each other. However this isnt a result of our gun laws Im afraid, this is a result of our immegration laws more than anything.

Our government banned hand guns because 2 legal gun owners went mad and killed a lot of people. One of them went into a school and murdered many small children. It was a terrible terrible crime, and the government wated to be seen to be doing something, and so did the easiest thing it could, i.e make all the rest of us suffer. It would have been harder to address the real problem, that the man was a peodophile, that the police had grave concerns over his behaviour for some time. They could have removed his licence and taken away his guns, but the local Scottish police failed to act, and now the children are dead, and we lost our right to own handguns.

Of course, this hasnt stopped crime with guns, no because as we all know, criminals dont care that it's illegal to own a hand gun, they're criminals why would they? Gun crime has rocketted in the last 10 years, and knife crime too.

However crime hasn't gone up because of the gun ban. You got to get your heads around this. Because guns wernt available for self-defence anyway. Crime has risen because of immigration on a massive scale, particularly to London. The fact that the gun ban has done nothing to stop crime is a separate matter, it means of course we should get our guns back, however of course we all know that will never happen

 

[RP88]

yes, there are more factors to crime than banning or having guns. But, at the same time, gun ownership to citizens could possibly dissuade and stop alot of it. If it somewhat works here, then it could work there. Just look at the difference of burgularies and crime that happen to someone in England when they're in their home compared to here. 12% here, nearly 50% there

I also find the whole thing on Black immigrants causing all the crime to a be a bit racist. But then, I look at the demographics for US crimes, realize that it's pretty much a fifth generation problem here, and really can't disagree with you on it

 

[Onmilo]

I feel much safer in 'gun culture America.
The nearest largest city to me has had but three murders this year and only one was commited with a firearm.

 

[throdgrain]

It's not the colour, its the place. To come straight from Africa to England and expect people to behave in a way we expect is just not going to happen. It couldnt possibly, after all. Just look at the stuff going on in South Africa right now. Or god only knows how many other countries there.

As far as the crime figures comment goes, well I think I'd research carefully. All we get fed here is how in the U.S.A its almost impossible to cross the road without some madman shooting you with a handgun I dont believe it for a second, but lots of people do! Again, as far as crime goes, yeah thats bad in London or other big cities, but I've never felt threatened in my own home ever, and Ive lived in some rough areas, and I've been around a while

I wouldnt trust the press, no matter what.

edit

oh and I said black kids because they mostly are black kids. Stating the truth isnt racist. Well maybe it is here, but I hoped it wasnt in America

 

[uk roe hunter]

uk crime

"However crime hasn't gone up because of the gun ban. You got to get your heads around this. Because guns wernt available for self-defence anyway. Crime has risen because of immigration on a massive scale, particularly to London. The fact that the gun ban has done nothing to stop crime is a separate matter, it means of course we should get our guns back, however of course we all know that will never happen "

Throdgrain is very nearly right on the money in his posts. Crime has not just risen because of immigration, however it is one factor.

he alludes earlier in his post to the welfare state. The problem is that we have 3rd and 4th generation professionally unemployed people with no aspirations becuase they can get what they want without working, they have nothing to lose if they go to Jail. they won't lose thier job or thier house becuase they don't have either the tax payer pays it for them.

We have politicians who will fawn for the public for votes and then cook the books to allow it to happen. Thats what happenned with the pistols. Throdgrain was right about the two atrocities. The person who was really to blame was the person who allowed the dunblane murderer his firearm certificate. He is dead right about our press, they are untrustworthy liars. almost as bad as the politicians.

There are no quick fixes for the breakdown in british society. there are tough times ahead but finally it looks like the political will is swinging back to the right.

I would like a pistol, i would like a .22rf for shooting cans and targets with, but i can't have one because the politicians wanted another term. freedom my arse

 

[RP88]

the figure came from an article in the BBC, actually

and yes, no matter how bad the crime sounds in England, or the US, etc. all you have to do is look at a place like Brazil, most of Central America, most of Africa, and you realize that it really IS nothing to worry about here.

 

[Mal H]

I wouldn't trust the press, no matter what.

So very true on both sides of the pond!

All we get fed here is how in the U.S.A its almost impossible to cross the road without some madman shooting you with a handgun. I don't believe it for a second, but lots of people do!

We wouldn't have many citizens left if the bullets flew as described in the European press! Lots of people believe that because they are fed it by the press - see first sentence.

 

[Tommygunn]

First thing, London is a big city, comparable with New York in population. Second, in the U.K we have never had the right to defend ourself with a gun, so it's not as simple as it all looks.

It has been my understanding that it used to be possible to defend oneself with a gun, but this was changed in the 1950s.
The old Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes stories have Watson grabbing his old revolver whenever "the game's afoot." Although of course these stories are fiction, the idea of a gentleman pocketing a revolver in the 1880s to defend himself was not fiction.

Reality may be more complicated than statistics allow for, but IMHO the British experiment with gun control in the last few decades has not been successful.
Crime may be more complicated than simply whether a government respects the right of citicens to defend themselves, but given what trends appear to have obtained, banning firearms has not worked.
Crime may have gone up because up immigration, not gun control, but OTOH gun control cannot be argued to have succeeded in lowering the crime rate, since it has not.
In the United States, a number of studies have indicated that areas with less gun control and more individual ownership of guns, the murder rate is lower than where guns are strictly controled or even banned. Washington D.C. is an example of one city where guns are nearly 100% banned, yet that city has an inordinantly high murder rate. While some people debate these statistics, I believe enough has been shown to conclude there is some association between gun control and crime rates, and it does not argue well for those who believe in gun control as a cure for crime.
Aside from statistical arguments, IMHO I deem it to be immoral for a government to deny citizens the right to self defense or the tools most suitable for it.

 

[uk roe hunter]

they are fed it by the press because thier editors and owners are in bed with the politicians.


"Reality may be more complicated than statistics allow for, but IMHO the British experiment with gun control in the last few decades has not been successful."
there was no experiment, that would suggest an air of intelligent decision making. no it was a near jerk politically motivated cynical vote winner picking on a minority within our free society.

pistols were quite a rarity and used for target shooting mainly. so it has had no effect on crime. other factors have though. what we can say is that gun crime is far worse now than before the ban. that is not due to the ban though. that is due to the higher criminal availability of guns