Brixton academy: Police appeal to find 13 people on anniversary of Asake gig crush which killed two people

The Metropolitan Police has released 13 images of people they would like to identify on the anniversary of a deadly crush at the O2 Academy Brixton.

The tragic incident claimed the lives of 33-year-old Rebecca Ikumelo and 23-year-old Gaby Hutchinson. A 22-year-old woman who was injured at the event remains in hospital in a very serious condition.

Mother-of-two Rebecca and the young woman who remains in hospital, were among thousands of people who went to the O2 Academy Brixton to watch Nigerian artist Asake perform. Security guard Gaby was on duty at the event when the tragedy occurred.

Police were called on the evening of December 15 2022 to reports of a large crowd gathered outside the south London venue.

Officers were further alerted that people were attempting to force their way inside, which resulted in the crush.

Scotland Yard has released the images of the men they would like to identify as part of their investigation.

In a statement Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Penney said: “We remain focused on establishing exactly what happened that tragic evening, how Rebecca and Gaby came to lose their lives and why a young woman remains in hospital in a very serious condition a year later.

“I am grateful to those who have already helped by either speaking to police, sharing footage or providing us with valuable advice in terms of our investigation and the impact of this tragic event on people in Lambeth and beyond.

“We owe it to the families who have been left heartbroken and with many unanswered questions to establish the truth about what happened to their loved ones, and continue to follow the evidence where it takes us - without fear or favour.

“There were thousands of people at the venue that evening, and today I am releasing images of 13 I would like to speak to as I believe they have vital information. I urge them to get in touch as soon as possible.

DCI Penney added: “I would again ask that if you were at the Asake concert at the 02 Academy Brixton on 15 December 2022, and you were filming – we know from CCTV that many people were – please come forward and share that footage with the investigation, please help the heartbroken families get the answers they need.”

Ahead of the first anniversary of the crush, the families of Ms Ikumelo and Ms Hutchinson met at New Scotland Yard to remember their loved ones and appeal for anyone to come forward with information about the incident.

In a statement Rebecca’s father Anthony Ikumelo, said: “Rebecca was a caring loving person who cared for everyone in the community. This tragedy has left a large hole in our hearts that cannot be filled. We urge anyone who has information about what happened that night to come forward so that those responsible can be identified.”

In a statement Gaby’s sister Kelsey Hutchinson, said: “Our lives will never be what they used to be, we have gaps and it’s trying to find a new normal. Because we don't have the answers, we're still waiting for investigations to be completed, we're still in a situation where we don't know why. I think if we could get to that point, that might help us.

“No one should ever go to work and not come home.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the investigating team on 020 7321 9425. To remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

You can also upload footage here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS22U62-PO1.