A community in Alum Rock, Birmingham, is reeling after two violent incidents in under a week. A man in his 60s was seriously injured in a stabbing outside a nursery on St Saviour's Road late Tuesday, July 7, just six days after a 16-year-old boy was shot on nearby Bowyer Road.
Stabbing Outside Nursery
Police were called to St Saviour's Road at around 11:55pm on Tuesday following reports of a stabbing. The victim, a man in his 60s, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries. According to West Midlands Police, he was attacked by a group of masked Asian men.
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Mahon stated: "We understand this is worrying for people in the area and local officers will be remaining there to speak to anyone with concerns over the coming days. There is currently nothing to suggest any connection with any other recent incidents in the area, but we're keeping an open mind about the motivation for what has happened."
Previous Shooting of Teen
The stabbing occurred just six days after a 16-year-old boy was left fighting for his life following a shooting on Bowyer Road on Wednesday, July 1. Police have not linked the two incidents but are keeping an open mind.
Parents Express Fear
Residents, particularly parents, have expressed fear and demanded increased police presence. One mother, Leile, said: "We're scared at this end of the road. There is different kinds of activity at night. We have children, aged 13 and 11, and we're scared because this area is not good. We have requested the police at night time in this road because the end is closed and people do drugs and other activity."
Another mother, Zara, described being "extremely scared" and "tired" by the recent attacks. She claimed "drug dealers" and "not good people" frequented the area at night and also called for night-time police patrols.
A third mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "It makes me concerned that it's unsafe. There's kids here - all families. I don't know what's going on. We've lived here all of our lives and it's never been like this."
Different Perspectives
Not all residents share the same level of alarm. A father who moved into the street two years ago said the recent attacks were "not normal" and that he had not seen such trouble before. "It's not normally this way. Not that I've seen, anyway. I know we've had stuff over the last two weeks but I can't explain why that is," he said.
Police Response
West Midlands Police have increased patrols in the area and are appealing for witnesses. Detective Chief Inspector Mahon added: "Our priority is identifying those responsible and bringing them in to custody as quickly as possible, and officers have been working overnight to gather evidence and speak to potential witnesses."
Anyone with information about the stabbing is urged to contact police on 101 quoting log 6513 of July 7, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
