Video whodunnit aims to teach east End kids about dangers of knife crime

COPS are using an interactive murder mystery video to help educate kids about the dangers of carrying knives.

The Met has posted its film Who Killed Deon? on a dedicated Facebook page and will be distributing it in the east End as well as Hackney, Southwark, Newham, Lewisham, Waltham Forest, Brent, Haringey, Lambeth and Westminster this week.

The film uses the ‘who dunnit’ idea to show how five characters are all guilty of murder. When a user visits the online page they will initially be met with a trailer and the scene of the murder.

There are then six character films to view. Each story shows a different connection to the murder and explains why the character was charged with murder even though their involvement may appear to have been minimal. Only one of the characters has no involvement in the murder.

The film aims to engage young people through an interactive story about the risks of getting involved with weapons. The message is simple: if a person’s presence, knowledge or actions lead to a killing, they could be charged with murder under joint enterprise.

People who lend encouragement and approval to a crime can be charged with the same offence as the chief perpetrator and could receive similar prison sentences.