Man held in murder hunt after Russell Brown’s stabbing in Bethnal Green

Murder Squad detectives in Nelson Gardens (Image: Archant)

The 32-year-old was arrested after he walked into a police station in east London yesterday afternoon and was held in custody “on suspicion of murder”, Scotland Yard confirmed today.

Russell—who had recently registered as a kidney donor to help save his sick aunt—was stabbed on Saturday afternoon while visiting a friend on Bethnal Green’s Nelson Gardens estate.

He was air-lifted by helicopter to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, but died 24 hours later

It was the same hospital where he was due to undergo surgery to remove a kidney.

Murder Squad detectives in Nelson Gardens (Image: Archant)

Detectives believe a party started early Saturday and continued into the afternoon, when a fight broke out in a maisonette and spilled out onto the courtyard.

Two men were seen by witnesses running from the house towards Hackney Road.

Police are now appealing for anyone who heard the disturbance or was at the party, or anyone who was in the area around St Peter’s parish church towards Hackney Road to contact them.

“The fight in Nelson Gardens before Russell’s murder was on Saturday afternoon and people would have been at home or around the area at the time,” police detective Robert Pack from the Met’s Homicide Command said.

Murder Squad detectives in Nelson Gardens (Image: Archant)

“We think more than one suspect left the scene through the estate and may have been heavily blood stained. Several people have already come forward to help us.”

A post-mortem at Poplar Mortuary on Sunday gave cause of death as stab wounds. Next of kin were informed.

Anyone with information that may help the investigation is being asked to call the incident room on 020-8345 3724, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800-555111, email crimestoppers-uk.org.