Porsche driver stabbed to death in 'Wild West' knife fight

Police on the scene near Edgware Road (James Manning/PA) James Manning

A Porsche driver was stabbed to death during a violent knife fight on one of central London's busiest streets, a court has heard. Mohamed Abdi, 21, was allegedly killed by Awad Abdel Samad, 24, during an outbreak of violence on Edgware Road on the evening of 4 June.

Opening Samad's murder trial at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC described terrifying scenes captured on CCTV at about 10:40pm. He told jurors: "It is, you might have thought, like something from the Wild West."

Fatal confrontation unfolds

The incident involved occupants of two cars who knew each other and were travelling in the same direction in heavy traffic. Samad was in the front passenger seat of a Seat Leon driven by Mohamad Mahmoud El-Hazzaa, 26, whilst Abdi was driving a Porsche Cayenne, which he pulled close behind the defendants' car, flashing his lights.

Both cars came to a stop and Samad immediately jumped out, running to the Porsche whilst armed with a knife. The prosecutor told the court that Abdi clearly saw him coming and got out of his car, also armed with a knife, leading to a fight between the two men.

Within seconds, Samad gained a crucial advantage by kicking Abdi's knife from his hand onto the road. The disarmed victim retreated and got back into the Porsche, but Samad pursued him and reached the car before he could shut the door.

Deadly attack captured on camera

Leaning through the open door, Samad attacked Abdi repeatedly with his knife, the court heard. One blow resulted in a stab wound to the centre of Abdi's chest, with the knife passing through cartilage into his heart, jurors were told.

Abdi managed to drive forward into Bell Street, briefly knocking over Samad, who got up and tried to slash a tyre on the Porsche. Samad then returned to the Seat Leon, which was driven off before police arrived, whilst Abdi came to a halt on the side street where he died despite efforts by members of the public and paramedics.

Additional violence erupts

As the main attack unfolded, other occupants from both cars also began fighting, the court was told. The prosecutor said one man from the Porsche got out of the back seat with a gun, which he waved around and eventually fired.

The only person he managed to injure was himself, literally shooting himself in the foot, jurors heard. The prosecutor said they would be able to "disentangle the general chaos" through CCTV freeze-frames and slow motion footage.

Samad, of Westminster, has denied murder, whilst co-defendant El-Hazzaa, also from Westminster, has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice. The Old Bailey trial continues.

Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.