Man dies and seven injured in stabbings
A POLICE chief said a rise in violence was “almost inevitable” due to the Covid- 19 pandemic after a man died and seven people were injured in stabbings in Birmingham city centre in the early hours of yesterday.
West Midlands Police said last night that they believe the stabbings were carried out by a lone knifeman and are not linked to terrorism as a manhunt continued.
Speaking at a press conference, West Midlands police and crime commissioner David Jamieson said the city of Birmingham was “well used to activity”.
Mr Jamieson said: “I think what is different is the randomness of this particular event but also the number of other events that were happening as well. The amount of violence that was happening is actually very, very disturbing.”
Mr Jamieson said a rise in violence should be expected due to the lockdown and pandemic, though he added that yesterday’s incident may not be connected.
He said: “I have been saying for some time, in the context of Covid- 19, that a lot of the pentup feelings that people have, and not being able to get out, and combine that with people who are now unsure about their future and about their jobs, it was almost inevitable that we would see a growth in violence.
“I’m not saying that this is directly related to that, but nevertheless we are seeing now a growth of violence among younger people, particularly younger males, we’re seeing that growing across the region. My fear is that if we don’t address that and some of the underlying problems with some urgency then we could see that grow.”
West Midlands Police declared
a major incident after being called to reports of a stabbing in Birmingham city centre just after midnight yesterday before more calls came in of further attacks.
Chief Superintendent Steve Graham, of West Midlands Police, said that the incidents appeared to be “random”, with “no suggestion” the night’s events were linked to terrorism.
He said: “A man has tragically died. Another man and a woman have suffered serious injuries and five others have also been injured, although their injuries are not thought to be life- threatening.”
David Nash, a bar manager at The Village Inn, The Nightingale Inn and The Loft Lounge, in Birmingham city centre said he came within 10 metres of a hooded suspect, spotted running from the scene of the stabbings, in Hurst Street.
He said: “I was on the street around 2.20am and we heard somebody shout down the street ‘ stop him, he’s just stabbed somebody’.
“Initially it was a guy with a black hoodie on with the hood pulled up over his head, who was walking relatively casually.
“As soon as somebody shouted ‘ stop him’ that’s when he ran off into the area of Sherlock Street.”
Mr Graham said: “At this stage we can’t find a particular motive but it does appear to be random in terms of the selection of people who were attacked.”
He added: “We don’t know who the subject is.”
And Chf Supt Graham appealed to any witnesses, anyone with social media videos and photos or CCTV of the incidents to urgently contact police.
Armed officers were on patrol in Birmingham last night and there was a heavy police presence in the city centre yesterday as the hunt for the murder suspect continued.