Twenty-year-old Jamie Sanderson was stabbed to death early on Thursday morning while clubbing at Oceana Kingston.
Ollie Gillman and Lily Kemp
A murder investigation has been launched after a 20-year-old man was stabbed to death early on Thursday morning while clubbing at Oceana Kingston.
Jamie Sanderson, from the Havelock Estate in Southall, suffered multiple stab wounds and died on the way to hospital after the incident at 3:30am on Thursday morning.
Next of kin have been informed.
A 22-year-old male has been arrested in connection with the death but has not yet been charged. He is being held in police custody in a South London police station.
“It was unprovoked”
One clubber, aged 20, who did not wish to be named, said: “It all started from a shove in a race to leave, it was unprovoked. They knew each other for 60 seconds. No history involved; just stupid people.”
Students were ushered out of the club, passing by the unconscious victim.
Friends on Twitter paid tribute to Jamie through a page set up on the social networking site.
Jamal Edwards wrote: “It’s been years since I last saw Jamie when I was in Southall filming RTG. Can’t believe it happened INSIDE Oceana Kingston. RIP.”
Another friend said: “R.I.P Jamie’Bullet Soon Meet Again, Stabbed In Oceana:@”
Acting Detective Chief Inspector Mark Lawson of the Metropolitan Police said: “I am appealing for anyone who was in the Oceana nightclub at around the time of this incident to come forward.
“This incident took place in the vicinity of the ground floor cloakroom toilets – if you were in that area of the club and saw the altercation, or the events leading up to this altercation, you may have vital evidence which could help this investigation.”
Third-year Kingston student, Zoe Birdsall who walked past Oceana at 4.30am said: “There were loads of security guards and police all outside. The whole club was sectioned off with police tape and I saw two girls sitting on the floor crying. I knew something serious had happened.”
Two 19-year-old pharmaceutical chemistry students, who did not wish to be named, said they were at the foam night at the club at 3:30am and saw nothing untoward.
Should Oceana lose its license?
Council leader Derek Osbourne said the Guildhall will call for a licensing review at nightspots in the borough, in light of the tragedy.
“This is a shocking incident and our thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends.
“If Oceana are found to be culpable in some way we would need to put that to the licensing committee, to decide that if it were right for such a venue to have a license in Kingston
“We will act on any lessons to be learned from this sad episode, including a call to review the licensing of local venues.”
Oceana released a statement, saying: “The thoughts of everyone at Oceana are with the families of those involved at this time.”
The death is the first at a Kingston club since Mikey Brown was fatally stabbed inside the Works nightclub, now the Hippodrome, in June 2007. His killer was given a four year prison sentence in 2008.
A forensic team were at Oceana on Thursday searching for evidence.
Politics student Natalie Jukes, 18, said: “This is why I never go and never will.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 0208 358 0200 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.