Mother of 14-Year-Old Boy Rapper Alleges Son was Targeted by Gangs and Changed Before Fatal Stabbing on Bus in Woolwich

The mother who is grieving the loss of her 14-year-old son, who was fatally stabbed on a bus in south-east London, is worried that her ‘polite’ child may have been targeted by gangs and introduced to drugs before his tragic death.

Known as ‘Grippa’ in the drill rap scene, Kelyan Bokassa was attacked in broad daylight on a Woolwich-bound 472 bus, shocking passengers who witnessed the violent incident.

Struggling to contain her emotions, his devastated mother Mary Bokassa, aged 50, expressed to MailOnline, ‘He had a kind and compassionate nature. He always showed concern for others and had a great sense of humor.

‘He was very polite. He was interested in football and was a supporter of Arsenal.’

Ms Bokassa said Kelyan had spent time in care before running away and living rough on the streets for a year, where she feared criminals took advantage him.

‘My son and others were taken advantage by gangs. They were groomed,’ Ms Bokassa told MailOnline from her home in south-east London.  

She added: ‘He was missing for a year and was living on the street. He finally turned up at my doorstep, he was sick, underweight and tattooed… He was exposed to drugs. He probably experienced something because I could sense it.

‘He was not himself. If I questioned him he wouldn’t tell me anything about his friends.

‘We had to chase him at night, he was in the Stratford area. We said to him we are here when you are ready to come home, it was at 1am.

‘He got himself in trouble with the law at that time.

‘There were eight police officers who were forcing him to go back to care. He was just bones.’

She added: ‘He lived on the streets for a year after he ran away from the children’s home.

‘But when he came home wrote graffiti on the balcony to say he loved me.’

Ms Bokassa also told how she was the victim of an arson attack at a flat when her son was young.

She said: ‘I was moved from one place to another by Greenwich Council. The properties were not suitable for me and my son but it was all they had.

‘One flat where we were living was set on fire. We had to run away from the flames.’

She added that Kelyan had had ‘some problems with the law’.

She revealed: ‘Last year Kelyan got in trouble. He had some problems with the law. But we were trying to sort it out.’

She added: ‘I can’t believe he is gone. I cannot believe it.’

Police are continuing with their manhunt to trace Kelyan’s killer. No arrests have been made following the ‘horrendous’ and ‘barbaric’ attack. 

Around an hour before he was killed, the schoolboy posted a haunting message on Instagram, asking if any of his followers had a ‘mindy’. This is believed to be in reference to the word ‘mindi’, which is Somalian for ‘knife’. 

The teenager was also an established drill rapper, going by the street name ‘Grippa’, with his latest track ‘Bangers & Mash’ having been released on Christmas Day.

The music video shows ‘Grippa’ pretending to wave a knife in the air as he raps: ‘I’m the shortest shooter on my block but I still roll with the longest ting’. 

 

There are also numerous references to the police as ‘pigs’, gangs, guns and prison throughout, including one line where he talks about ‘swords’ and ‘getting popped’. 

Grippa’s death comes amid a spate of brutal ‘tit-for-tat violence with all the hallmarks of a turf war’ which has rocked Woolwich, which has claimed the life of another teen – schoolboy, Daejaun Campbell.

The 15-year-old was fatally stabbed in the leg with a ‘zombie knife’ on September 22, crying out ‘I’m 15, don’t let me die’ as he bled to death in Eglinton Road, Woolwich – less than a mile-and-a-half away from Tuesday’s stabbing.

On Tuesday, Mark Rodney, from anti-knife crime charity Project Lifeline, claimed Grippa had laid flowers in memory of Daejaun just two weeks ago. 

Three teenagers, Jacob Losiewicz, 18, Marko Balaz, 18, and a 17-year-old youth have since been charged with Daejaun’s murder. 

During Losiewicz’s hearing on September 30, prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC said Daejaun’s death came amid ‘tit-for-tat violence with all the hallmarks of a turf war’.

Police also previously said his murder was a ‘stark and sobering reminder of the danger of zombie-style knives’. 

London is already in the middle of an outbreak of violence, with gang warfare having spiralled ‘out of control’ in recent months, fuelled by rivalries often stoked by drill rap. 

In Sydenham, a few miles south of Woolwich, expectant father Curtis Green, 30, was gunned down in Wells Park Road on November 11, with locals saying the shooting was the latest in a series of violent incidents in the leafy London suburb. 

Although unconfirmed, its feared schoolboy ‘Grippa’ may be the latest victim in the capital’s bloody drill rap war.  

Yesterday, a close friend of the teenager broke down in tears when he arrived at the cordon, after being told by his mother that his pal had been stabbed to death.

Locals last night told of their shock and sadness at the youngster’s killing.  One woman said: ‘It’s barbaric. It was a bloodbath. It is a horrific situation.’

Another local, a mother, said: ‘We heard the young lad was repeatedly stabbed. It is utterly horrific.’

Mechanic Dave Murray, 62, from Plumstead said: ‘It’s tragic. Whatever those boys were fighting about it’s never worth it.’

Mother Shula added: ‘I can’t believe that a boy was stabbed to death on the bus. Is it too dangerous to go on the bus now?’

One resident who lives inside the cordoned off area said: ‘This is heartbreaking.’ I can’t believe this has happened. We have only just started the New Year. 

‘A 14-year-old boy stabbed in broad daylight on a bus. What is the world coming to?’

A woman working at a nearby church said she saw an air ambulance and other emergency service vehicles arrive at the scene, but did not see any of the passengers from the bus. 

The Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: ‘My thoughts are with the family, friends and wider community in Greenwich following the appalling fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy.

‘This heart-breaking violence has absolutely no place in our city. 

‘I am in close contact with police leaders – an investigation is underway and local residents will see increased patrols in the local area.’

The Met Police attended, along with London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance.

Chief superintendent Louise Sargent said: ‘I know this will be a worrying time for everyone here in Woolwich, and even more so given the very young age of the victim.

‘The community can expect to see an enhanced police presence around the scene and the surrounding area I would urge anyone who witnessed this horrific incident or has any information that might help to call police on 101.’

Forensic officers could be seen taking pictures of the road close to where the youngster was stabbed.

The incident came just 24 hours after an 18-year-old boy was left fighting for his life after being knifed just over a mile away from the murder scene.

The teenager, who attended Shooters Hill College in Woolwich, is in a critical in hospital after the stabbing in Prince Imperial Road at around 4.20pm on Monday.

Police confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the the two stabbings were not linked, reported MyLondon. 

 A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 2.29pm today (7 January) to reports of a stabbing at the junction of Woolwich Church Street and Church Hill, SE18.

‘We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer and a paramedic from our tactical response unit. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.

‘Sadly, despite the best efforts of our crews, a teenager was pronounced dead at the scene.’

Several London bus routes were diverted as a result of the incident, including the 161, 177, 180 and 472. 

Local councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan posted on social media and said: ‘I’m deeply saddened to hear of the murder of a 14 year old boy in Woolwich today. Detectives from the Serious and Complex team are investigating.’

Margaret Mizen, the mother of Jimmy Mizen who was killed aged 16 in London in 2008 when a glass dish was smashed into his face, said her heart went out to the family of the 14 year old. 

Writing on X, she said: ‘Today, it is incredibly sad, may this young man rest in eternal peace. His friends and family are in my prayers as they somehow come to terms with this cruel act. They will all be feeling completely heartbroken.’ 

Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, Matthew Pennycook, urged anyone with any information to contact police. 

‘Deeply saddened that another young life has been lost in our community today following a stabbing in Woolwich,’ he wrote on X. ‘My thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased.’ 

Anthony Okereke, the leader of Royal Borough Greenwich, said the council was working closely with Scotland Yard in response to ‘this horrific incident’. 

‘I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic murder of a young person in our borough,’ the Labour councillor said.

‘My thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with their family as they face this unimaginable loss.’

Mark Rodney, chief executive officer of Project Lifeline, a community interest charity, said the death of a 14-year-old boy was ‘devastating’. 

He said: ‘It’s another devastating blow to the community. Young people are being let down.’

Knife crime is on the rise in London, with 15,016 offences recorded in 2023/24, up from 12,786 the year before, a 17.4% rise.

It is the highest number of offences since 2019/2020, after which there was a significant drop during the Covid pandemic, followed by a steady annual increase.

According to the Crime in England and Wales 2024 report, around 30% of knife-enabled crime was recorded by the Metropolitan Police Service.

Some 10 teenagers were killed in London last year, nine of whom were the victims of stabbing while one died in a shooting.

This was down sharply from 21 teenage deaths in the capital in 2023. The youngest victim in 2024 was aged 14.

If anyone witnessed the incident or has any information which may help, they are urged to call police on 101 with ref 3795/07JAN25 or call Crimestoppers anonymously. 

MailOnline has contacted the Met Police for comment.