A killer is on the run after a 13-year-old boy was stabbed to death in the West Midlands yesterday.
The teenager, who has not been named, was found inside a house in Oldbury, on the outskirts of Birmingham, on Thursday afternoon.
Confirming he died in his own home, Chief Superintendent Kim Madill said in a press conference today: ‘I’m here to let the family and the wider community know that we will work with you and support you as we seek to find who is responsible for the death of this young boy.
‘We have a team of detectives investigating what happened and we are following active lines of enquiry to find the suspects.
‘We know the incident took place inside his home and I would appeal for anyone who has information to come forward.
‘We have local officers and youth workers in the area so please speak to them in the coming days if you have any concerns or information you would like to pass to us.
‘My personal ask today is if you have any information at all, no matter how small, then please send it in.’
Paramedics treated the boy but he died at the scene.
A local mum whose son is in the same year at school as the victim said she ‘felt sick’ after hearing about the incident.
Another woman who lives nearby added: ‘I felt sick. I have 2 boys and it truly terrifies me.’
A man who lives a few houses up from the scene told Metro.co.uk the area used to be ‘very peaceful’ until late last year.
‘I would wake up at midnight and see … boys walking on the street, kicking bins over and so on.’
‘Later someone tried to steal something from my van.’
The neighbour, who has been living with his wife on the street for 10 years and in the area for another 6 years, said there had previously been ‘no issues’ there.
The couple did not see anything on the day of the incident but have handed over footage from their CCTV camera.
Detective Superintendent Shaun Edwards, from the force’s Homicide Team, said: ‘It’s absolutely tragic a young life has been lost.
‘We have specialist officers who will be supporting the family of the boy.
‘We have detectives working flat out to find whoever is responsible and bring them into custody as soon as possible.’
A spokesperson for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said: ‘We were called to a stabbing at a private address on Lovett Avenue just after 4pm on Thursday.
‘One ambulance, two paramedic officers, the WMAS Critical Care Car, a MERIT trauma doctor and critical care paramedic and a BASICS emergency doctor attended the scene.
‘Upon arrival we found a teenage boy with life-threatening injuries.
‘Ambulance staff administered advanced trauma care at the scene but unfortunately, despite their best efforts nothing more could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased at the scene.’
This is the third fatal stabbing of a teenager in the West Midlands over the last year.
In April, Issac Brown, 15, was stabbed to death in New Square, West Bromwich.
Harleigh Hepworth, 17, was killed in West Park, Wolverhampton, in March.
Responding to this latest stabbing of a 13-year-old, Birmingham Live reader Sammy Kendrick wrote: ‘Heartbreaking. Something needs to be done about knife crime.
‘Out kids aren’t safe anymore.’
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