Teen, 18, stabbed to death watching seaside fireworks
THE family of a teenage plumber stabbed to death after attending a fireworks display have said ‘we don’t want this to be what he is remembered for’.
Cameron Hamilton, 18, suffered a wound to the chest in a fight in Bournemouth in the early hours of Saturday.
Two 18-year-olds from Portsmouth were in police custody last night after being arrested on suspicion of murder.
Two other men of the same age, one from
Bournemouth and another from Poole, were released without charge but remain under investigation for affray.
An inquest into Mr Hamilton’s death, which opened yesterday, was told a police officer found him with ‘significant injuries’ in The Square in the seaside town at 1.27am following reports of an altercation involving a group of people.
He was given first aid but pronounced dead less than 30 minutes later by paramedics.
Detectives believe a number of suspects fled and discarded various items, including clothing, after the incident.
In a statement, Mr Hamilton’s family said: ‘We have not lost our beautiful boy, he has been taken. We don’t want this to be what Cam is remembered for, we want him to be remembered for the funny, kind and wonderful person he is and always will be.
‘We would also like to thank all the police officers who attended the scene and were with Cam and all the people who have sent their condolences and wishes to the family.’ The apprentice tiler and bathroom fitter had reportedly gone to see a firework display before the incident.
Sir Conor Burns, Tory MP for Bournemouth West, accused Dorset Police of abandoning the town centre and allowing it to become ‘ a safe haven for anti- social behaviour, drug dealing and drug-related crime’. He said: ‘ Increasingly it feels
‘Safe haven for drug dealing’
unpoliced. The public and businesses have given up reporting as they feel nothing will happen.’
In response, Superintendent Gavin House said that 28 officers were on patrol in the centre at the time of the stabbing, and officers were on the scene almost immediately but despite their efforts, were unable to save his life.