A violent knife attack in the heart of Birmingham city centre has led to five arrests, including a boy of just 14 suspected of attempted murder.
City Centre Violence Erupts
The incident occurred near the iconic Bull sculpture outside the Bullring shopping centre at approximately 8pm on Thursday, November 13. According to West Midlands Police, disorder broke out resulting in a 17-year-old boy being stabbed.
Emergency services rushed the victim to hospital, where medical staff confirmed his injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing.
Overnight Police Operation
Police launched an immediate investigation, conducting urgent CCTV reviews and witness enquiries throughout the night. Their efforts resulted in five arrests by morning.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, while three 18-year-olds were detained on suspicion of wounding. Additionally, a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
All five suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.
Pattern of Violence Concerns
This latest stabbing comes amidst growing concern about knife violence in Birmingham city centre. The attack occurred less than a week after Katie Fox, 34, was fatally stabbed at a city centre bus stop, with a man already charged with her murder.
In early October, two separate incidents saw 17-year-old boys stabbed outside Birmingham's flagship Primark within the space of a single week.
Chief Inspector Vicki Stott of Birmingham Police stated: "This was an unacceptable and violent attack in the heart of the city centre, and it's lucky the boy was not more seriously injured."
She emphasised the police response: "We worked flat out overnight with neighbourhood officers, CCTV operators and other specialist officers working together to identify and arrest five people as part of the investigation."
Extra police patrols have been deployed across the city centre going into the weekend as authorities seek to reassure the public and prevent further violence.
Despite this incident, police maintain that knife crime has fallen across the West Midlands, though they acknowledge there is more work to be done to combat youth violence in the region.
