Man convicted of murdering Rene Graham, 15, in children's play area

A man has been convicted of murder after a 15-year-old boy was shot dead in a children's play area during a family music festival in West London.

Police were called to Emslie Horniman's Pleasance Park at around 7.20pm on 21 July 2024 following reports of a shooting.

CCTV showed a man calmly approaching the children's play area before firing a single shot.

Rene Graham, 15, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and died at the scene.

Aderahman Boumzough, 25, of no fixed address, appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, where he was found guilty of the murder following a two-week trial.

Footage also showed the suspect chasing and attempting to shoot a second victim, but the gun jammed and he fled.

In March 2025, Rene's mother, Janay John-Francois, issued a plea urging the public to come forward with any information, telling Sky News: "It's broken, shattered my life... It's killing me on the inside."

Read more from Sky News:
Tributes to 'devoted mum' killed after train hit car in Lancashire
Threat of thunderstorms after June heat record broken

A £20,000 reward was also offered by Crimestoppers for information that would help solve the crime.

During their investigation, police used forensic work, witness enquiries, and detailed analysis of CCTV tracing the suspect's movements.

Boumzough was arrested on 2 September 2025 and charged with murder and attempted murder the next day.

Police subsequently uncovered a video on Boumzough's phone in which he rapped while appearing to reference the firearm malfunction.

He said: "Don't you hate it when your ting jams? I was prepared to take soul, but Allah had a different plan".

Boumzough was found guilty of murder and attempted murder following a two-week trial. He will appear at Woolwich Crown Court for sentencing on 3 July.

A senior Met detective thanked a small pocket of the Ladbroke Grove community for their support in the case.

Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell, who led the investigation, said: "Following Rene's senseless murder, we made a direct plea to both the Ladbroke Grove community and those who had attended the event where he lost his life. A year on, we renewed that appeal, urging anyone with information to come forward and help us secure justice for Rene's family.

"As part of that appeal, we released CCTV footage showing Boumzough pulling a firearm from his pocket in broad daylight, fleeing the scene, and attempting to shoot a second man as he made his escape.

"While only a small number of people came forward, I would like to thank those individuals who provided statements and supported the investigation, including attending court, who refused to allow a dangerous individual such as Boumzough to live amongst them.

"This conviction is the result of relentless work by officers who painstakingly reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to trace the gunman's movements before and after the shooting."

(c) Sky News 2026: Man convicted of murdering Rene Graham, 15, in children's play area