Two 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old held on suspicion of murder after death of Folajimi Orebiyi, 17, in Portobello Road on Sunday

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Three teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old in Notting Hill, west London.

The Metropolitan police said two 16-year-old boys were arrested on Monday night and were being held at separate London police stations, and a 15-year-old boy was arrested earlier in the evening and remained in custody.

The victim, named by police as Folajimi Orebiyi, bled to death on Portobello Road after being stabbed on Sunday evening. Reports suggested he had been chased by youths on bicycles after a fight on a nearby council estate.

Witnesses said he was stabbed in the neck and fled to Portobello Road, where he collapsed. Police officers and paramedics tried to save his life but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The police said formal identification had not yet taken place but that they were satisfied that the victim was Folajimi and his family had been notified.

Folajimi, known as Fola, was an A-level student at Chelsea academy. Matt Williams, the school’s principal, said: “He always had a smile on his face and brought joy to all who encountered him. We will miss him greatly. His quick wit provided a constant source of entertainment to students and teachers alike.”

Williams described Fola as a passionate footballer who had played as a left-back for the school in the Inner London Schools Cup. “His excellent defending helped the team reach the quarter-finals,” he said.

Fola was studying maths, psychology, business and media and hoped to work in business, accounting or marketing, Williams said. “Fola had recently started to attend university open days in preparation for the next adventure in his life,” he said.

Liam Semugabi, a friend of Fola’s, told BBC London News that the teenager “studied hard at school and had a great future ahead of him”.

A postmortem examination is due to take place on Tuesday at Westminster mortuary.