The family of Ayden Cooper, a 25-year-old father-of-two, have paid tribute to him after he was stabbed to death in the car park of the Beggars Bush pub on Chester Road, Sutton Coldfield, just before 2am on Sunday 11 October. His relatives described him as a 'happy lad' with a 'heart of gold' who was only weeks away from his 26th birthday.
In a statement released on Friday, Ayden's family said: “Ayden was a happy lad. He was a son, brother, husband, uncle, and father to two beautiful children. Ayden was full of life and had a heart of gold, and just a few weeks shy of his 26th birthday, and we never thought as a mother and father we would be burying our son at such a young age. We are all still in shock and this is very difficult and devastating time for our family. We ask that anyone with any information comes forward.”
Police manhunt continues after fatal stabbing
Detectives from West Midlands Police's Major Crime Unit are still searching for the killers, with a major manhunt ongoing. They have been reviewing hours of CCTV and speaking to people who were present at the scene when Ayden died.
Det Chief Inspector Samantha Lewis, from the Major Crime Unit, said: “Our thoughts are with Ayden’s family and loved ones, who are being supported and kept up to date by specialist officers. This was a tragic incident where a young man has lost his life, and our investigators are working tirelessly to establish the circumstances around what happened and who was involved. It’s vital that anyone who was in the area around the pub at the time, or who has any footage or information – no matter how insignificant it may seem – shares it with us.”
Landlady describes desperate efforts to save Ayden
The landlady of the Beggars Bush pub has revealed that neither Ayden nor the perpetrators had been customers or inside the pub, where an event was taking place at the time of the stabbing. She told BirminghamLive: "I was the one who attended to him and got the bleed kit and did as much as I could until the paramedics arrived. There is a video going around of someone filming me helping him and shouting to him to wake up and telling him it will be ok."
Detectives are urging anyone with information, CCTV, or dashcam footage from the area around the pub at the time of the incident to come forward and assist the investigation. The family has asked the public to share any details that could help bring those responsible to justice.
