Small Heath Stabbing: 16-Year-Old Boy Killed In Birmingham

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Police activity near Herbert Road, in Small Heath, Birmingham, where a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death Wednesday evening.
Police activity near Herbert Road, in Small Heath, Birmingham, where a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death Wednesday evening.
PA

Another murder investigation has been launched in Birmingham after a 16-year-old boy became the second teenager to be stabbed to death in the city in a week.

The youth was discovered in Herbert Road in Small Heath at around 8pm on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said.

He had suffered serious stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 15-year-old boy was treated by paramedics after he was assaulted and suffered minor injuries, the force added.

On Thursday, a wide police cordon surrounded Sara Park, its children’s play area and several nearby streets, with a few officers guarding the scene visible from the barrier tape.

In the early hours of Monday, a 22-year-man was stabbed during a fight outside the Karahi King takeaway in Coventry Road, just a few yards away from the park.

The latest attack comes just seven days after 16-year-old student Sidali Mohamed, who had fled war-torn Somalia with his family as a toddler, was stabbed outside Joseph Chamberlain College in Balsall Heath, a few minutes’ drive from the latest attack.

His life support machine was turned off two days later and police arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of attempted murder.

One Birmingham MP said she would be seeking emergency meetings with Home Secretary Sajid Javid in light of the recent spate of knife crime.

Birmingham Yardley Labour MP Jess Phillips tweeted: “Waking up to news of another young man murdered on edge of my constituency.

“Will seek emergency meetings with Home Sec & we are already meeting with Local Govt ministers next week.

“They hollowed away our youth services/early intervention, they must make reparations to my community.”

Residents and councillors have also expressed their shock and concern at another stabbing on their doorstep.

City councillor Zaheer Khan, whose Small Heath ward borders the scene, said the boy’s death represented “another victim of knife crime”, and was a “tragic loss”.

“Last summer, we had a spate of stabbings and murders in Small Heath,” he said.

“Personally, since those incidents, I have written to police several times about a lack of visible police presence.

“I feel that lack of police resources means people believe they can do whatever they want.”

Yasmin Akhtar, a 44-year-old support worker who lives locally and has a 10-year-old son, said she feared for his safety.

She said: “I have a son and I really fear what is going to happen to him.

“Last week, we had that young lad who died at Joseph Chamberlain (College), and another stabbing up the road. It’s a joke.

“Is it safe where we’re living? It’s such a shame.”

Detective Chief Inspector Edward Foster, from the force’s homicide team, said on Thursday: “The investigation is in its early stages and we are keen to hear from anyone who was in Herbert Road or Sara Park at just before 8pm last night.

“A teenager has sadly lost his life and another was assaulted. We are working hard to establish the circumstances around what happened.”

Police have said a cordon is in place while inquiries are carried out in the area.

The force is appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

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