The London Metropolitan Police has shared how an 18-year-old Nigerian in the UK, Emmanuel Popoola, allegedly shot and killed another teenager, Keanu Harker, after a fight over comments in a Snapchat group chat.
This information came from a statement on the Met Police website on Tuesday. This followed Popoola and his accomplices being found guilty at the Old Bailey court in the UK on Monday.
The statement mentioned that Popoola, along with other accomplices, Tayvon Etefia, Eliezer Mbaki, Anais King, and a 17-year-old boy whose name cannot be revealed for legal reasons, were all convicted on Monday after a trial that lasted six weeks.
According to the statement, Harker was shot in the head and chest on June 26, 2025, while he was riding his bicycle on Great Cambridge Road in Enfield.
Popoola and Etefia followed Harker on an electric bike before Popoola began shooting.
The Met Police explained that a digital forensic analysis of mobile phones showed Popoola got angry after being mocked in a Snapchat group chat. The mocking was about claims that he could not afford mobile data.
The statement also said the prosecution presented drill rap videos that seemed to show gang members bragging about Harker’s death.
The statement read, "Footage showed both men chatting with friends at a sports court in Enfield Town Park just minutes before the murder. Popoola was seen showing off an item inside a plastic bag, which detectives believe contained the gun that killed Keanu.
"Digital forensics experts managed to access the mobile phones of both the victim and Popoola. They found a series of voice messages between the youths, shared on a Snapchat group chat for rival street gangs in the Enfield area.
"The group chat messages saved on the phones showed how Popoola got angry about comments suggesting he did not have the money to buy data for his phone."
After the shooting, the police said the suspects left the electric bike behind, got rid of some clothes, and tried to dispose of other evidence before they ran away in a car driven by Mbaki.
The statement added that two days after the murder, Popoola allegedly fled to France on a Eurostar train after his girlfriend, King, bought him a one-way ticket to Paris.
Etefia also tried to escape to France but was arrested by British Transport Police on a train at London’s St Pancras International Station before it left.
The police were able to track Popoola through King after she traveled to Paris to meet him.
The statement continued, "While Popoola was in Paris, the police focused on the suspect’s girlfriend. They planned for them to meet in Paris, with Popoola sending her a list of things he wanted her to bring, like nail clippers, a comb, and deodorant.
"On July 31, 2025, King booked a Eurostar ticket for August 3. Detectives heard about the booking and made a plan to use her to find Popoola."
UK police, along with French authorities, arrested Popoola at an apartment in Paris on August 3, 2025. He was extradited to the UK on August 14.
The statement noted that after their convictions, Popoola and Etefia will be sentenced on July 9 and 10. Mbaki will also be sentenced around the same time. The 17-year-old who helped an offender will be sentenced on August 7, while King’s sentencing date is still not set.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who led the investigation, said the killing started from comments in a Snapchat group chat. "Our careful investigation showed that Keanu was murdered because his killers were offended by something said in a social media group chat.
"Instead of ignoring the comments, Emmanuel Popoola armed himself with a gun and, with Tayvon Etefia's help, did a drive-by shooting. This was a cowardly act of violence that has understandably shocked the community.
"We spent months building a strong case against the killers and those who tried to help them. I am glad we could get justice for Keanu’s family," Card said.
In response to the convictions, Harker’s family said the verdict was only “some measure of justice.”
“Our son had just turned 18 when these individuals chose to take his life. We appreciate that some justice has been served, but no amount of time they spend in prison will ever be enough for us. We live with pain and loss that can never be fixed.
“We hope this case makes people see how harmful gang culture has become for young people. Too many children are losing their lives, and many families are suffering heartache.
“Things must change before more young lives are lost and more parents face the pain we now live with every day,” the family said.
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