Kilburn stabbing: café owner stabbed to death 'with machete'

A forensic officer enters the cafe where the owner was stabbed to death
Ben Morgan
Jamie Micklethwaite2 August 2016
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A café owner was stabbed to death in front of horrified customers, reportedly with a machete.

Customers desperately tried to save father-of-two Huseyin Gulbudak after he was stabbed inside his shop in Kilburn High Road.

Mr Gulbudak, owner of Efes Café and Restaurant, was found by police at his cafe around 7pm yesterday suffering from knife wounds from what onlookers described as a machete-type blade.

The 48-year-old was rushed to a north London hospital but was pronounced dead an hour later.

Owner of the Good Ship, John McCooke, said two of Mr Gulbudak's customers tried in vain to fight off the knifeman.

The 49 year-old told the Standard: "My colleague was having a cuppa across the road from there and she arrived inside saying there was a bit of a commotion going on.

"The bar manager went out to have a look and there were tables and chairs flying around. Then he saw a guy with a knife in his hand.

"A pair of pensioners tried to fight him off with no joy and apparently the attacker closed the door and the shutters.

Stab victim: Huseyin Gulbudak

Mr McCooke added he had known Mr Gubuldak since opening the Good Ship and that he was a lovely man.

He added: "He looked like a guy who was having a hard life. He was a really nice guy and cheerful despite all of that."

Brian Mannion, 50, owner of the Black Lion pub, knew the victim since he started running the café 15 years ago. He said his death was “devastating”.

He said: “It’s devastating really. He had been there running the café for 15 years. I would pop in every day to have a tea and a quick chat.

A police cordon was set up outside the cafe today
Ben Morgan

“Within 10 minutes the scene was cordoned off last night. Lots happens in the High Road so I thought it was a minor altercation which happens frequently in Kilburn. I can't believe it."

A 28-year-old worker from a nearby café said: “I was with my colleague and it was busy but suddenly all these cars and vans and ambulances turned up.

"There were two ambulances, police cars and vans. So many police.

“I know the owner. He comes to work in the morning and goes home at night. He was very hard working.”

A manager from nearby Cjon Properties, Osman Macci, said he had been told by a colleague that the weapon used in the cafe was a machete.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene, and was being questioned today at a police station.

Anyone with information should call police on 020 8721 4622 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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