Harborne stabbing: Teenager knifed to death
- Published
A teenager has been stabbed to death in a suburb of Birmingham.
The 18-year-old suffered fatal injuries in Tennal Road, Harborne, at about 19:15 BST on Wednesday.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody for questioning.
West Midlands Police said a cordon had been put in place and witnesses urged to come forward. Det Insp Michelle Allen said: "A young man has sadly lost his life."
"Advanced life support was given but sadly he was confirmed dead at the scene", a spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service added.
One man, who did not want to be named, said he came to the boy's aid after discovering he had "multiple stab wounds to the chest and neck".
"I was walking to get to my car and came across this boy lying on the floor stabbed. I have a medical background so I knew it was really serious straight away," he said.
He tried to give the victim CPR before the emergency services arrived.
'Nicest lad'
He said he met one of the victim's friends after the attack who described the 18-year-old as "the nicest lad you could meet".
Another friend, who visited the scene but did not want to be named, said: "Everyone is feeling it. The whole of Birmingham is feeling it. I couldn't sleep yesterday, he was such a lovely boy."
West Midlands Police force said extra patrols were being carried out in the area.
Insp Lee Trinder said he understood the "tragic killing" had caused concern in Harborne and the wider Birmingham area, but hoped extra uniformed officers would offer people reassurance.
At the scene: Ben Perrin, BBC News
Grief-stricken loved ones of the teenager made an emotional journey to the scene this morning.
Four women could be seen consoling each other as they wept by a police cordon on Tennal Road, close to its junction with Queen's Park Road.
They were too upset to talk, with one older woman dropping to her knees in the middle of the street.
A forensic tent has been put up on the pavement and officers can be seen combing the area for clues.
Neighbours said they were "shocked" a young life had been lost in such tragic circumstances.
One resident, Tony Foster, who has an 18-year-old son said: "It is really concerning.
"This type of thing doesn't happen around here at all, so it is really unusual.
"My son is going out with his friends tonight and I'll be drumming into him a bit more than usual to be careful."
Knife crime in the West Midlands force area increased almost 17% in the year to December 2018.
Almost nine crimes involving knives were recorded per day on average during the year, Home Office figures released on Thursday morning for the region showed.
During 2018 there were 22 homicides and 50 attempted murders involving knives in the West Midlands force area.
Knives were involved in 25 rapes and sexual assaults and 91 threats to kill.
The West Midlands had the fourth highest rate of knife crime per head of population in England and Wales in 2018, with just over one offence for every 1,000 people.
The nearby church, St Faith & St Laurence, on Balden Road, held prayers on Wednesday night for the victim.
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