An 18-year-old Nigerian-born teen, Emmanuel Popoola, and his accomplice have been convicted of the cold-blooded murder of 18-year-old Keanu Harker in a shocking gang-related shooting in Enfield, north London.
The tragedy unfolded on June 26, 2025, when Harker was riding his bicycle along Great Cambridge Road. Popoola, riding on the back of a high-powered Sur-Ron electric dirt bike driven by 18-year-old Tayvon Etefia, chased him down and fired three shots at close range โ striking Harker in the head and chest. Harker fell, crawled into a nearby garden, and died at the scene.
The motive? A petty insult in a Snapchat group chat. Voice messages mocked Popoola, suggesting he couldnโt afford mobile data. Enraged, and amid rivalry between local gangs 3×3 and Get Money Gang (GMG), Popoola armed himself with a pistol. Minutes before the killing, the pair were captured on footage at Enfield Town Park, with Popoola showing off what police believe was the murder weapon. Gang members later bragged about the killing in drill rap videos.
After the shooting, the duo dumped the bike, discarded evidence, and fled in a car driven by fellow drill rapper Eliezer Mbaki, 25. Both attempted to escape to France. Popoola fled to Paris with help from his girlfriend Anais King, while Etefia was arrested on a train at St Pancras. Police tracked Popoola through King and arrested him in Paris with French authorities.
On Monday, after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey, Popoola and Etefia were found guilty of murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Mbaki, King, and a 17-year-old accomplice were convicted of perverting the course of justice. Sentencing begins later this week.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card said:
โRather than ignore the comments, Emmanuel Popoola armed himself with a pistol and carried out a drive-by shooting. This was cowardly and disproportionate violence.โ
Keanu Harkerโs grieving family called for change:
โOur son had just turned 18โฆ We hope this case opens peopleโs eyes to how damaging gang culture has become for young people. Too many children are losing their lives.โ
A heartbreaking reminder of how online feuds and gang rivalries continue to destroy young lives.
Justice has been served โ but the pain remains.
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