Knife crimes could be spiraling out of control in the UK, it is feared. At least three have been stabbed in the last three days, two fatally and one is critical.
Knife crimes could be spiraling out of control in the UK, it is feared. At least three have been stabbed in the last three days, two fatally and one is critical.
An Asian teenager battered to death in a town centre park may have been the victim of a racist gang, it is said.The latest victim of Britain's spiralling knife crime was found in Crow Nest Park in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
First it was the murder of 18-year-old Harry Potter actor Robert Knox on Saturday, who was killed and three other people injured in a fight outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup, Kent.
A post-mortem revealed that Robert died of internal bleeding as a result of the stab wound.
In another incident, a 19-year-old male is in critical condition after being stabbed in East London.
The unidentified man was attacked near East London underground station.
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Police are investigating whether he was the victim of a racist attack after reports of running battles between two gangs of youths in the area Sunday afternoon.
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The man, who lives in Dewsbury and did not wish to be named, said: "Stuff went on in the park between different gangs of youths during the day.
"There was fighting between a white gang and a non-white gang.
"There is a belief that there may be a link between that and the murder of this young man.
"It's possible that what happened to this boy was a continuation of that violence.
"His family are absolutely distraught."
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the possibility of a link would be investigated.
He could not say whether there had been any violence reported in the park before the young man's death.
He said: "We are still looking at a possible motive so we cannot link the boy's death to anything else at this moment.
"But we are looking at what happened in the park during the day and whether there may be a link.
"We are looking at whether anything else happened in the park yesterday and if it did whether he was involved in it."
Police believe they may have identified the victim who was smartly dressed in white tracksuit bottoms, a white 'Bench' top and black trainers.
Police sealed off the park as dog units and forensics teams moved in to search for clues.
A police source said the investigation was at a critical stage and the park was likely to remain closed throughout the night.
An eye-witness, who asked not to be named, said: "I don't live far from the park, and knew something was up because there were police everywhere.
"There were dog handlers, the police tactical unit, and scene-of-crime officers in the park.
"They sealed off all the entrances so you couldn't get anywhere near there, and the word going round is that an Asian lad has been murdered."
An onlooker said: "You couldn't go anywhere near. We've heard an Asian lad has been stabbed."
The suspicious death comes six months after another violent incident in Dewsbury which resulted in the death of another Asian youngster.
Two teenagers are due to stand trial at Leeds Crown Court, West Yorks, next month, charged with murdering 17-year-old Ahmed Hassan.
Ahmed, from Batley, West Yorkshire, died following an incident at Dewsbury train station on December 15, last year.
Meanwhile the family of Rob Knox led a wave of attacks on the Children's Commissioner over his stance on knife crime.
Sir Al Aynsley Green said increased use of police stop and search powers to catch knife thugs would 'antagonise' young people.
His remarks, in a pre-recorded BBC interview, were broadcast hours after 18-year-old Rob's death.
They were seized on by Rob's uncle John Knox. Rather than 'treat them nicely', Knox said, those caught carrying knives should be sent to jail. He added: 'Don't mollycoddle them, if they want to get that type of action going, bang them up, bang them up for five years.'
Rob's mother Sally added: 'I can't understand personally the people who are against stop and search. Why think you're upsetting someone by stopping and searching them? You'd never say I'm not stopping someone from drinking and driving.'
Tory MP Philip Davies said children were the majority of victims of knife violence and the commissioner should be 'standing up for the interests of law-abiding young people, not criminals'.
Ian Levy, whose 16-year-old son Robert was stabbed to death in 2004, said: 'Stopping and searching has led to preventing deaths and injury. I wish someone had stopped and searched the young lad who killed my son.'
Police also appeared unhappy with the comments.
Metropolitan Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rose Fitzpatrick said robust stop and search operations were not aimed at victimising young people - 'it's aimed at keeping them safe'.
Source-Medindia
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