The mayor of Hexham has described the incident as a ‘horrendous tragedy’
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 15-year-old girl was stabbed to death on Friday evening.
The victim was rushed to hospital with stab wounds after being attacked in Hexham, Northumberland, shorty after 17:10 on January 27, but later died from her injuries.
A 16-year-old boy was also taken to hospital where he remains in a stable condition after suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
Police say another 16-year-old boy was initially arrested on suspicion of assault, and later on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 5.10pm yesterday evening police were alerted by the ambulance service to a report of a teenage boy and girl being injured in the Priestpopple area of the town centre.
“Emergency services attended the scene where the boy and girl – aged 16 and 15 – had suffered serious injuries consistent with having been caused by a bladed article.
Emergency services attended where the boy and girl – aged 16 and 15 – suffered serious injuries consistent with having been caused by a bladed article.
They were both taken to hospital, with the girl’s injuries described as life-threatening.
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— Northumbria Police (@northumbriapol) January 28, 2023
“They were both taken to hospital, with the girl’s injuries described as life-threatening.
“Sadly, despite the best efforts of hospital staff, the girl passed away later that evening.
“The boy suffered serious, non-life-threatening injuries and remains in hospital in a stable condition.
“Both of their families are being supported by specially-trained officers at this devastating time.
“An investigation was immediately launched, and a 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of assault, and later on suspicion of murder.”
We are determined to find out what happened & bring anyone involved to justice.
Officers are in the area to carry out enquiries & offer reassurance.
We believe those involved are known to each other & would ask people not to speculate.
Any info call 101 NP-20230127-0795.
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— Northumbria Police (@northumbriapol) January 28, 2023
Derek Kennedy, mayor of Hexham, said: “It’s an absolute tragedy, the town is in complete shock, to lose one of our children who attends a local high school is just horrendous.
“Parents are really anxious for the health of their children because they’re all a part of this community, the schools are all really anxious that their children are really feeling the pain and suffering and shock of such an awful incident.
“In the Hexham community we have a very low crime rate, generally, it’s a community that looks after one another, we were awarded the happiest place to live in Great Britain last year.
“It’s a very warm and loving community so for a tragedy such as this to happen, we always find it much more difficult and it’s knocked everyone for six.
“To happen to such a young person and the alleged perpetrator to be a young person, in the high street at 5pm, is just shocking, everyone is just shocked and struggling to come to terms with it, it will ruin so many lives.”
Related links:
- Pedestrian, 84, killed by driver, 96, who had been warned about eyesight
- Redhead girl stabbed with scissors at school ‘because of colour of her hair’
- Man charged with assaulting Matt Hancock on the London Underground
