‘He was just a little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films’
A Welsh musician has spoken of his agony after his son was stabbed to death in a London park. Finbar Sullivan was stabbed during an altercation in Primrose Hill in the early evening on Tuesday, April 7 and despite the efforts of paramedics was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 21-year-old was a filmmaking student. His dad Christopher Sullivan, a musician and the founder of 1980s band Blue Rondo a la Turk, has spoken of his devastation.
Mr Sullivan, originally from Merthyr Tydfil, told the Daily Mail his son wanted to become a cameraman like his grandfather Michael Seresin, who worked on Harry Potter and Rambo III.
On the day he was attacked he had gone to the park to use a new camera he had got for his birthday. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here
Mr Sullivan, 65, said: “This is the worst tragedy I could ever imagine.
“He’s my only son… I had him when I was 45. He can never be replaced. He’d just bought a new camera, we all chipped in for his 21st birthday, and he took it up there to do a bit of filming.”
Mr Sullivan added: “I’m so broken-hearted, I can’t believe it. He was the most beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy. He was just a really lovely person.
“And why he was targeted, we have no idea.”
Mr Sullivan said he rushed to Primrose Hill as soon as he was informed of the incident.
“I got the call at about six that he’d been stabbed, so I rushed up there,” Mr Sullivan told the Daily Mail.
“I wasn’t allowed in because it was a crime scene, and by that point he’d had 20 minutes of CPR. He’d obviously died. It’s Primrose Hill, for God’s sake… it’s like Hyde Park. It’s not somewhere you expect this.”
Finbar was a student at the London Screen Academy and produced music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It.
Despite the drill rap scene’s association with gang violence, Mr Sullivan denied his son was involved in any of it.
“All I can tell you is he was the subject of an indiscriminate stabbing. He was not a gang member,” Mr Sullivan told the newspaper.
“He was just a little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films. He didn’t drink, he didn’t smoke, he didn’t go out.
“He’d stay at home editing his films six nights a week. He wanted to follow in his (grandfather’s footsteps) and be a cameraman. He recently did a video for Joseph Corre, Vivienne Westwood’s son.
“We were just about to start a company together… he was going to do his showreel today with me. And now he’s dead.”
Mr Sullivan added: “His friend was stabbed in the back and hands trying to protect him. My son always tried to stand up for people, so maybe the attacker was bullying someone.”
Police confirmed that another man, believed to be in his 20s, was located nearby on Regent’s Park Road and was taken to hospital by paramedics with stab wounds. His injuries have since been confirmed as non-life-threatening and non-life-changing.
The Metropolitan Police have urged “anyone who has any information, including photos or videos” to get in touch.
Detective Inspector Andy Griffin, who is leading the investigation, said: “Finbar’s family have suffered a devastating loss and our thoughts are with them as they navigate this very challenging time.
“Our investigation is progressing at pace and we are following several lines of inquiry. This incident occurred in a busy, public park and there may be many witnesses who can help us piece together what happened.
“We are aware of footage circulating on social media around the time of the incident, and urge anyone who has any information, including photos or videos, which could support the investigation to urgently contact us.”
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