Five men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of a teenager and a young man during a music video shoot in north London. Lorik Lupqi, 21, Jason Furtado, 28, Abel Chunda, 29, Xavier Poponne, 22, and Eden Clark, 31, were found guilty of killing 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj, as well as the attempted murder of Abdullah Abdullahi, who sustained serious injuries.

The jury deliberated for over 53 hours at the Old Bailey before reaching their verdict in July. Today, all five were sentenced to life in prison. Judge Anjua Dhir KC imposed a minimum term of 39 years on Lupqi for what she described as a “planned, brutal, murderous group attack.” Furtado and Poponne received minimum terms of 37 years, while Chunda and Clark were given 38 years for their roles in the murders. Each defendant was also sentenced to 25 years for the attempted murder charge.

Judge Dhir expressed her disapproval of the defendants' conduct during the trial, stating, “With the exception of Xavier Poponne, your behaviour during this trial has been appalling.” She noted their disruptive actions in court and in custody, highlighting Lupqi's particularly disrespectful behaviour. As he was led away in handcuffs, Lupqi shouted a threat at the judge, saying, “Suck your mum… When I come out I’m going to kill you.”

The court heard that a large group had gathered on the Elthorne Estate in Archway to film a music video for an artist known as Tight Road Baby. The atmosphere was initially festive, but local residents complained about the noise, prompting police to intervene around 10.20pm. As the crowd dispersed, Lupqi and Furtado allegedly orchestrated the attack, enlisting Chunda, Clark, and Poponne to assist.

Lupqi arranged for a taxi to pick up the three men, instructing the driver, “I’m in a little bit of a rush.” They arrived at the estate wearing masks and armed with weapons. Leonardo Reid and his brother were among those watching the video shoot when they noticed a figure in black approaching with a large knife. A friend warned them, shouting, “Man on!”

Leonardo’s brother fled but later returned to find his brother lying motionless on the ground. Leonardo had suffered a fatal stab wound to the chest, which penetrated his left lung and a major blood vessel. Klevi Shekaj was also attacked, sustaining a stab wound to the back that cut through his left lung. He was transported to Whittington Hospital but died shortly after arrival.

Abdullah Abdullahi, who had walked past the scene earlier, described being ambushed by masked attackers when he returned. He attempted to escape but fell, leading to a violent assault by three individuals wielding machetes. The harrowing details of the attack were presented to the jury, contributing to the convictions of the five men.