Metropolitan Police say 18-year-old Emmanuel Popoola shot Keanu Harker after a dispute in a Snapchat group chat led to a deadly gang-related attack
The London Metropolitan Police have disclosed how Emmanuel Popoola, an 18-year-old UK-based Nigerian, was convicted of murdering fellow teenager Keanu Harker following a dispute that began in a Snapchat group chat.
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Popoola was found guilty at the Old Bailey on Monday alongside Tayvon Etefia, Eliezer Mbaki, Anais King, and a 17-year-old boy whose identity is protected under UK law after a six-week trial.
According to the Metropolitan Police, Harker was shot in the head and chest on June 26, 2025, while riding his bicycle along Great Cambridge Road in Enfield, north London.
Investigators said Popoola and Etefia followed the 18-year-old victim on a Sur-Ron electric motorcycle before Popoola allegedly opened fire.
The Emmanuel Popoola Conviction followed an extensive investigation in which detectives relied on CCTV footage, digital forensic analysis and witness evidence to reconstruct the events leading to the killing.
Police said CCTV footage captured Popoola and Etefia speaking with friends in Enfield Town Park shortly before the shooting. Detectives believed a plastic bag carried by Popoola concealed the firearm later used in the attack.
Digital forensic specialists also recovered deleted Snapchat messages from mobile phones belonging to Popoola and Harker.
According to investigators, the messages showed Popoola became angry after being mocked in a Snapchat group chat used by members of rival street gangs over claims that he could not afford mobile phone data.
The prosecution also presented drill rap videos that allegedly featured gang members boasting about Harker’s killing.
“Digital forensics experts were able to access mobile phones belonging to the victim and Popoola.
They revealed a series of voice messages between the youths, shared on a Snapchat ‘group chat’ for members of rival street gangs in the Enfield area.
“The group chat messages, which had been saved on the devices’ hard drives, showed how Popoola was angered by comments implying that he did not have the money to buy data for his mobile phone,” the Metropolitan Police said.
Following the shooting, investigators said the suspects abandoned the electric bike, discarded clothing and attempted to destroy evidence before leaving the scene in a vehicle driven by Mbaki.
Two days later, Popoola allegedly fled to France aboard a Eurostar train after his girlfriend, King, purchased a one-way ticket to Paris for him.
Police said Etefia also attempted to escape to France but was arrested by officers from the British Transport Police at St Pancras International Station before his train departed.
Detectives later tracked Popoola by monitoring King’s travel arrangements after she booked another Eurostar journey to Paris.
“They made plans to meet each other in Paris, with Popoola providing her with a list of items he wanted her to bring, including nail clippers, a comb, and deodorant,” the statement said.
Working with French authorities, Metropolitan Police officers arrested Popoola at an apartment in Paris on August 3, 2025, before he was extradited to the United Kingdom on August 14.
Following Monday’s verdicts, Popoola and Etefia are due to be sentenced on July 9 and 10, while Mbaki will also be sentenced during the same period.
The 17-year-old, convicted of assisting an offender, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, while a sentencing date for King has yet to be fixed.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who led the investigation, said the killing highlighted the devastating consequences of online disputes escalating into serious violence.
“Our painstaking investigation established that Keanu was murdered because his killers took offence to something that was said in a social media group chat.
“Rather than ignore the comments, Emmanuel Popoola armed himself with a pistol and, with the help of Tayvon Etefia, carried out a drive-by shooting. This was cowardly and disproportionate violence that has understandably shocked the community.
“We spent months building a comprehensive case against the killers and those who tried to help them, and I am pleased to have been able to secure justice for Keanu’s family,” Card said.
Reacting to the convictions, Harker’s family described the verdict as offering only “some measure of justice.”
“Our son had just turned 18 when these individuals decided to take his life. We are grateful that some measure of justice has been served, but no amount of time they spend in prison will ever be enough for us.
“We hope this case opens people’s eyes to how damaging gang culture has become for young people. Too many children are losing their lives, and too many families are being left to suffer unimaginable heartbreak.
“Something must change before more young lives are taken and more parents are forced to endure the pain that we now live with every day,” the family said.
The case has renewed concerns in the United Kingdom over youth violence, gang activity and the role of social media in escalating disputes among teenagers.
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Investigators said the convictions underscore the importance of digital evidence in modern criminal investigations while serving as a stark reminder of how seemingly minor online exchanges can have tragic real-world consequences.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
