Primrose Hill killing is a warning to us all, says victim’s father

Finbar Sullivan, 21, who made music videos, died after a fight broke out at the park in north London

The fatal stabbing of Finbar Sullivan at a London beauty spot should be a warning that “this can happen to anyone”, his father said.

Mr Sullivan, 21, died after taking his new camera to the viewing point of Primrose Hill in north London on Tuesday evening.

Police were called to reports of a fight at 6.41pm and arrived to find Mr Sullivan with stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another man, who detectives believe is in his mid-20s, was taken to hospital with stab injuries, which are not said to be life-threatening. No arrests have been made.

Mr Sullivan was a videographer for UK-based rap artists and regularly posted his music videos on social media. His father, Christopher Sullivan, 65, told The Telegraph his son was a “middle-class kid with long hair” who lived with him in a million-pound flat in Maida Vale, central London.

He said: “He doesn’t go out. He just stays in. He goes and does his shoots and edits his videos … He doesn’t drink and he’s not that type of person, he’s here six nights a week.

“There’s an audience out there that should be aware that this can happen to anybody, white or black, in the most upmarket area. It’s a warning to us all.”

Primrose Hill is one of Britain’s most affluent neighbourhoods, with some homes there valued at more than £10m. The park is popular for its views of the London skyline and was busy on Tuesday evening as people enjoyed the warm weather.

A video circulating on social media appeared to show several young men fighting at the viewpoint while onlookers screamed and ran away. At one point, a man in a dark grey tracksuit appears to pull out a knife and charge towards another youth before backing away.

Police on Thursday appealed for a key witness who recorded a fight in the park to come forward, saying the footage was “vital to ongoing inquiries”.

Mr Sullivan’s death follows the knife murder of Harry Pitman, 16, as he celebrated New Year’s Eve in 2024 on Primrose Hill.

His father, an artist and journalist, added: “[Finbar] went out yesterday afternoon. He had just bought a new camera for his 21st birthday a couple of months ago … and I think he took it up there to do some filming.

“It was about half past six I got the call that he’d been stabbed and I rushed up there as fast as I could but I wasn’t allowed in. He doesn’t tick any of the boxes you would have thought for a stabbing in this country … it’s like it can happen to anybody in the world.”

He said his son had been filming in the park on Tuesday evening and believes he may have been targeted because of his camera. He said Finbar had been with his friend, who had been stabbed in the back and hands as he tried to fend off the attackers.

Mr Sullivan Snr said: “My son was very moral, he always stood up for other people, maybe they were bullying somebody, maybe they were trying to bug him, as he had his new camera.

“He certainly was not a part of any gang. He was a studious kid who spent his time watching movies in my flat and editing videos. He didn’t smoke, he didn’t go out, he didn’t drink.

“I’m absolutely devastated. This is the first conversation I’ve had where I haven’t broken down in tears. I’ve been in tears since last night. I haven’t slept. He’s my only son, I had when I was 45 and I’m 65, he will never be replaced. It’s the worst tragedy I could ever imagine.”

Mr Sullivan Snr founded Wag, a nightclub in Soho, in the 1980s. His mother, Leah Seresin, is a brand ambassador for Seresin Estate, a New Zealand-based winery.

His grandfather is Michael Seresin, a cinematographer who worked on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

Jemma Sbeg and her friends were sitting in the park below the viewpoint when Mr Sullivan was killed. She told The Telegraph: “Everyone started running down the hill. It was panic and there was this nervous energy as people were trying to work out what was going on.”

Andrew, who did not give his surname, witnessed the aftermath of the stabbing as revellers fled the park and police arrived.

He told The Telegraph: “You get it all the time around here. You won’t see it today, but on another day, there will be loads of kids going round on scooters and black masks.

“They just come down, they park either side of the park in their cars. The kids will come over and get a little bit of what someone’s selling, and take it back.”

The Metropolitan Police said its detectives were carrying out enquiries, including analysing CCTV footage, speaking to witnesses and gathering forensic evidence.

Det Insp Andy Griffin, who is leading the investigation, said: “Finbar’s family have suffered a devastating loss and our thoughts are with them as they navigate this very challenging time.

“Our investigation is progressing at pace and we are following several lines of inquiry. This incident occurred in a busy, public park and there may be many witnesses who can help us piece together what happened.

“We are aware of footage circulating on social media around the time of the incident, and urge anyone who has any information, including photos or videos, which could support the investigation to urgently contact us.”