A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 12-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Birmingham.
West Midlands police said the boy was found with serious injuries near Scribers Lane, Hall Green, shortly after 3pm on Tuesday and was taken to hospital, but died from his injuries.
Police said the boy’s family had been informed and were being supported by specially trained officers.
The fatal stabbing happened on the day MPs were told, following the Southport murders, that a ban on knife sales to under-18s had not proved effective.
The sale of knives with a fixed blade of more than three inches long to under-18s is illegal in England and Wales, with retailers facing fines or prosecution if they breach the law.
The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the Southport killer, Axel Rudakubana, was “easily able to order a knife on Amazon”, when he was still 17 and had been convicted over violence.
She told MPs: “That’s a total disgrace and it must change. So, we will bring in stronger measures to tackle knife sales online in the crime and policing bill this spring.”
West Midlands police said in a statement: “We are continuing to appeal for any information which could help in our investigation. We have set up our major incident public portal (MIPP) where members of the public can submit photos or video evidence.”
DI Joe Davenport, from the force’s major crime unit, said: “We’re urgently reviewing CCTV and speaking to witnesses as we work to understand what happened and why, and who was responsible.
“If you were in the area at the time and saw what happened, or think you may have captured any part of what happened on dashcam or mobile phone, it’s vital you get in touch with as soon as possible.”
Police are asking anyone with information to use the MIPP or call 101 quoting log 3324 of January 21.
Source: theguardian.com
