A 15-year-old schoolboy has been stabbed to death

On Thursday at around 23:30 BST, police were called to Elthorne Road in Archway where they also discovered a third male, 28, who had non-life threatening stab wounds.

No arrests have been made, and the relatives of the victims have been notified.

Police have put in place a Section 60 order allowing more stop-and-search authority since they believe several individuals saw the attack.

Ch Supt Andy Carter said: "My thoughts are with the families of the two victims who have suffered such an unimaginable loss in this shocking and unacceptable incident.

"We will support our colleagues as they investigate, and members of the public will see an increased policing presence in the area.

"A man and boy have lost their lives and we must now work together to identify those responsible and remove them from our streets."The MP for the area, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, visited the scene earlier and spoke to police and residents.

Local resident Penuel Etule said he was "heartbroken" and disappointed".

"This is not the first occasion," he told the BBC, adding that he was not surprised at the killings.

The university employee urged the police to "do more" by increasing patrols in the neighbourhood, but she also urged locals to "make it a point of responsibility to report anything" to the police so they could intervene before things got out of hand.

According to the mayor's office, 52 killings have been reported in the capital so far this year.

Of them, 26 involved stabbings, four of which involved the use of firearms, and seven of the victims were teenagers.

At a nearby address, a third victim, thought to be 28 years old, was also discovered. He was brought to a neighbouring hospital after suffering a stabbing wound. It is believed that his condition is not life-threatening.

A local who wished to remain unnamed claimed that just prior to the killings, a group of about 30 teens had been recording a music video, and the mood there had been "jovial."

“Then about an hour later we were just out here on the balcony having our tea, a drink or whatever, and we just heard shouting and some sort of shouting in the distance before the lads ran away.”

The man said that a short while later he looked out of his window and saw paramedics attempting to revive a young man lying on the ground.

Another resident, who also wished to remain anonymous, said: “I went to work about 11.15pm, and there was a group of maybe 20 to 25 lads…

“They were reasonably subdued…Normally, I ride my bike to work and I’d get on my bike down the bottom of the stairs, but I looked and I saw they were just starting to throw water bottles at the wall and they were just starting to get a bit boisterous.

“I came back around 2.20am and there were cordons and the tent was there.”

A section 60 order has now been put in place granting police extra stop and search powers following the killings which have rocked a community “rich” in spirit, detectives said.

Speaking from the crime scene, Jack May-Robinson, neighbourhood superintendent for Islington, said: “The families of both victims have been notified and they continue to be supported by specialist officers.

“I asked that their privacy is respected as they come to terms with this indescribable loss.”

Chief Superintendent Andy Carter said: "My thoughts are with the families of the two victims who have suffered such an unimaginable loss in this shocking and unacceptable incident.

"We will support our colleagues as they investigate and members of the public will see an increased policing presence in the area.

"I urge anyone who has information that can help us establish exactly what has happened to approach those officers or contact us immediately. A man and boy have lost their lives and we must now work together to identify those responsible and remove them from our streets."