Children are ‘under siege’ from gangs says grieving dad of stabbing victim
HEARTBROKEN FAROUK BALOUCHI ON SON’S DEATH
THE dad of a promising college student slain in a Hull park has spoke about the grief “consuming” his family as he appealed for the city’s help in convicting the killers.
Heartbroken Farouk Balouchi described the murder of his son Abdullah as a “senseless act of violence” as he condemned the big-city gangs holding Hull’s youth “under siege”.
The 20-year-old, a boxing fanatic with aspirations to attend university, was killed in a brutal stabbing in Peel Street, off Spring Bank, on the evening of Wednesday, October 7.
Days on from the tragedy, Abdullah’s father labelled knife crime an “act of terror” in a hard-hitting Facebook post we are sharing with his permission.
Mr Balouchi, a research fellow, said his son died defending “someone he thought to be a friend”, with a gang of seven stabbing him several times before he collapsed, just yards from a play park.
Posting on Facebook he said: “Many of you will know that I lost my boy Abdullah Balouchi to a senseless act of violence ... near the same primary school he was at as a young boy and the parks he grew up playing in with the same friends from the schools and parks.
“I just want to clarify that my boy was at college, kept fit and healthy by going to the gym and trained at his boxing gym Lionheart Boxing Academy.
“He struggled through school, but had made his mind up to redo his GCSES and a business diploma he started in September, perhaps even go to university.”
Abdullah’s death is being treated as a murder investigation, with a number of leads being pursued by detectives.
Mr Balouchi is appealing for witnesses who may be able to help the police to come forward.
He said: “What has made this even more terrible, than it already can be for my family, is that we have been told we can’t have Abdullah’s body back until a second post-mortem is performed on my boy, while no one has been charged with his murder.
“Knife crime is an act of terror and our young children are clearly under siege by these organised gangs coming in to the city from other bigger cities.
“I implore young people to not carry knifes and to give the police any information they have about Abdullah’s murder.”
There has been intense police activity in the wake of the killing, including a series of arrests by armed officers, support from two police aircraft and assistance from other police forces.
Humberside Police also introduced rarely used Section 60 powers, known more commonly as “Stop and Search”.
The force confirmed on Friday night that six people had been arrested in connection with Abdullah’s death so far. They remain in police custody.
Detective Chief Inspector Bob Clark, the senior investigating officer, described the investigation as “complex”, but vowed to bring Abdullah’s killers to justice.
He said: “We are committed and determined in holding whoever is responsible to account and we will do all we can to bring them to justice for such a senseless and tragic death.”
Officers are appealing for dashcam footage from anyone driving on Beverley Road, specifically the stretch of road between Cave Street and Harley Street, between 7.45pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday, October 7, to get in touch.
Anyone with information should call Humberside Police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting log 500 of October 7.
If you would prefer to report anonymously, you can do so via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
I lost my boy to a senseless act of violence ... near the same primary school he was at as a young boy and the parks he grew up playing in Farouk Balouchi