Moment ‘murdered’ ice cream man ‘argues with customer’ before stabbing

These are the moments leading up to the fatal stabbing of an ice cream man known as ‘Mr Smiley’ on a suburban north west London street, Metro can reveal. 

Shazad Khan, 41, was stabbed after he drove through his usual route in Monks Park, Wembley, on Tuesday. 

The father-of-one was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead soon after ambulance crews arrived at 6.15pm 

The Arsenal fan with a four year old daughter was well loved in the Wembley community where he was brought up. 

He was known to give away ice creams to families with littler money and his jolly persona led him to being nicknamed Mr Smiley friends said. 

Dramatic footage from the scene and obtained by Metro shows Mr Khan in a row with a bearded man in grey jogging bottoms and hoodie who follows him along Monks Road after he had got out of his ice cream van.

Raised voices can be heard as the argument escalates with Mr Khan, who is seen wearing a blue apron, then turning his back on the man. 

Khan was then stabbed moments later.

Seconds later he lay dying, with locals coming out of their houses and battling to save his life before police and paramedics were called to the scene. 

A  witness told Metro: ‘We all know Shazad around here. Neighbours ran out to try to save him before the paramedics got here. People did their best. We are all devastated. There was an argument that’s all we know.’ 

Tributes have poured in for Mr Khan who had five siblings and whose life revolved around his family. 

Akram, who lived next door to Shazad and his family for 20 years, said he was a doting family man who had cared for his dying father during covid. 

He told Metro: ‘They were our neighbours for 20 years. Lovely people just lovely. We have spoken to his mother, she’s in a terrible state she can’t fathom what happened. 

‘The family are originally from Pakistan. Shazad loved football, he was an Arsenal fan and loved and respected  by the whole community. He went to the mosque, he went shopping with his family he was a humble man.’

Sara, a close friend of Shazad, told Metro she had spoken to him the day before he was killed.

She said: ‘He was an amazing person. We were speaking about life and how he was holding up.

She added: ‘He was a good person, always with a smile on his face. He had the best smile.

‘He would give free ice cream to kids at the park all the time.’

Forensics officers were on Thursday searching a house on Monks Road. 

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said: ‘Our thoughts remain with Shazad’s family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time.

‘This incident will rightly cause concern across the community, but intelligence at this stage leads us to believe there is no wider threat to the public.’

A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder early Wednesday, and a 31-year-old woman was arrested for conspiracy to murder at the scene.

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