New appeal on first anniversary of Brixton tragedy

Detectives investigating the deadly crowd crush at O2 Academy Brixton have made a fresh appeal on the first anniversary of the tragedy.

The Academy Music Group (AMG)-operated London venue has remained closed since the 15 December 2022 incident during a concert by Afrobeats artists Asake in which two people lost their lives. Concertgoer Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, and security contractor Gaby Hutchinson, 23, both suffered fatal injuries, while a 22-year-old woman remains in hospital in a “very serious” condition.

Over the last 12 months, the Metropolitan Police has examined hundreds of hours of CCTV, taken more than 500 witness statements and seized over 5,000 pieces of evidence, and the detective leading the investigation, DCI Nigel Penney, has now released images of 13 people he would like to speak to.

“We remain focused on establishing exactly what happened that tragic evening, how Rebecca and Gaby came to lose their lives and why a young woman remains in hospital in a very serious condition a year later,” says DCI Penney.

“We owe it to the families who have been left heartbroken and with many unanswered questions to establish the truth about what happened to their loved ones, and continue to follow the evidence where it takes us – without fear or favour. There were thousands of people at the venue that evening, and today I am releasing images of 13 I would like to speak to as I believe they have vital information. I urge them to get in touch as soon as possible.”

AMG says it will announce a timeline for the 5,000-cap venue’s reopening “in due course”

He continues: “I would again ask that if you were at the Asake concert at the 02 Academy Brixton on 15 December 2022, and you were filming – we know from CCTV that many people were – please come forward and share that footage with the investigation, please help the heartbroken families get the answers they need.”

O2 Academy Brixton’s licence, which was revoked in the wake of the tragedy, was reinstated this past September – subject to 77 new safety conditions – following a two-day licensing review.

The revised measures include stronger doors that cannot be forced open by a crowd, the replacement of the divisional manager and venue manager who were in position on the night, enhanced risk management, an Event Management Plan for each show, and closer liaison with police and the licensing authority.

Additional conditions include employment of a new security team provided by Showsec (replacing AP Security), a new medical personnel contractor, upgraded CCTV inside and outside the venue, a new phased queue outside the venue, enhanced radio systems for personnel and bodyworn cameras, more external lighting and an external emergency tannoy system.

AMG says it will announce a timeline for the 5,000-cap venue’s reopening “in due course”.

“Over the past year, we have been driven by determination to learn all appropriate lessons from that night to ensure it can never be repeated”

“AMG continues to be devastated by the events of 15 December 2022 and our heartfelt condolences remain with the family and friends of Rebecca Ikumelo and Gaby Hutchinson,” an AMG spokesperson tells the BBC. “What happened was and is a tragedy

“Over the past year, we have been driven by determination to learn all appropriate lessons from that night to ensure it can never be repeated. We are pleased that the comprehensive plan for reopening the venue met with the approval of Lambeth licensing sub-committee.

“AMG is working hard to implement the new conditions before welcoming fans back to O2 Academy Brixton. There will be an announcement for the reopening timeline in due course.”

Meanwhile, the leadership of Lambeth Council has marked the first anniversary of the tragedy by laying flowers outside the venue and encouraging people to support the ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Rebecca Ikumelo and Gaby Hutchinson who lost their lives, as well as with the person who is still in hospital, and all those suffering the trauma of witnessing such distressing scenes at one of our borough’s live music venues,” says Cllr Mahamed Hashi, Lambeth’s cabinet member for safer communities.

“Lambeth Council has worked incredibly hard over the last year to play our role in finding out what went wrong that tragic night and ensuring that we never see a tragedy like this in our borough again.”

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