Police have arrested two people in connection with the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old in London early yesterday. The attack brings to 24 the number of teenagers killed in stabbings and shootings in the capital this year.

The victim was knifed near a bus garage in Walthamstow, east London, and was taken by ambulance to the nearby Whipps Cross hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

One of the two people arrested was a 17-year-old who was treated in hospital for a minor slash wound to his arm before being taken to an east London police station. The other person, in his late teens or early 20s, was also taken to an east London police station.

Celebrations planned in Walthamstow to mark the handover of the Olympic flag to London were cancelled.

Officers on a routine patrol saw two or three men running away from a grassy area in Walthamstow at 1.40am yesterday and then discovered a man with a stab wound, according to the Metropolitan police. The two arrests were made near the scene, off Selborne Road.

John Sandlin, an acting detective chief inspector, said: "I am appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the murder to please contact police with any information. The incident happened close to a well-lit bus garage in Walthamstow central. Did you see several males in the grass area near to the bus garage and close to Selborne Walk shopping centre? Did you see anyone run from the scene?"

Last night police revealed they know the identity of the dead teenager but were awaiting formal identification and confirmation that next of kin had been informed, before releasing the name. A postmortem examination will be held at Walthamstow mortuary today.

Friends of the teenager left tributes and flowers to him at the scene of his death. One note read: "To my darling ... will miss your smile so much. RIP babe, love you always ..." Another message on the same card read: "I will never forget you. You will always be there in my memories, in my heart."