Knife crime has become one of the biggest issues across the UK in recent years.
Lives across the country are needlessly lost through gang violence, with knife crime ruining the lives of families every year, and it’s a continuous problem in our region.
The shocking death of Cody Fisher, who was stabbed and killed inside the Crane nightclub in Digbeth on Boxing Day, has once again highlighted the issue within our city and region.
Government figures released in 2022 show that thousands of West Midlands youngsters were convicted or cautioned for knife crimes in just over a decade.
Ministry of Justice figures for West Midlands Police show young people were involved in 3,060 knife crime cases which resulted in cautions or convictions between July 2010 and June 2021, but the true scale of crimes involving children is likely to be higher.
The Ben Kinsella Trust, established in memory of a teen knifed to death at the age of 16, has called for more to be done to educate young people on the dangers of knife crime following recent rises in violence.
The charity’s CEO, Patrick Green, said the figures illustrated the negative impact knife crime was having on young lives, adding “no child was born carrying a knife”. He said: “We should not forget that young people are also increasingly likely to be victims.”
Lynne Davies started the Daniel Baird Foundation after her son Daniel died following a stabbing at a pub in Birmingham in 2017. Daniel was 26 when he was fatally stabbed in the heart at the Forge Tavern, in Digbeth. He had been out celebrating a new job with friends before he bled to death in minutes.
Since he died, Mrs Baird has campaigned to prevent knife-related killings through the foundation. The mum-of-eight founded the Control The Bleed: Save a Life campaign which provides bleed kits designed to treat wounds quickly and effectively at numerous locations around Birmingham and the rest of the country.
Lynne says the number of stabbings in the city in recent years highlights the need for more to be done to combat knife crime. “I think we need more bleed control kits out there so more people could be saved, but knife crime should not be happening at all,” she said.
Now, lets remember those whose lives have been lost through knife crime in Birmingham and the West Midlands in 2022.
1. Marena Shaban, 41
Mother of four Marena died of multiple stab injuries in the entrance of her home in North Holme, Bordesley Green on 28 January. Hr ex-husband Mohammed Arfan, aged 42, was charged with her murder in February 2022 and jailed for a minimum of 22 years in July
2. Ian Kirwan, 53
Ian Kirwan was stabbed and killed outside an ASDA supermarket in Redditch on March 8. Five youths aged 13 to 16 who had travelled from the Birmingham area have been charged with his murder
3. Shannon Stanley, 27
A 27-year-old man was arrested following the death of Shannon Stanley, aged 27, who was found with stab wounds at an address on Mount Pleasant in Small Heath on May 10. Her family paid tribute to a ‘much-loved daughter, sister, niece and cousin.’
4. Sekou Doucoure, 16
Young Sekou,was stabbed and killed in Nursery Road, in Lozells in July. In a heartbreaking tribute, Sekou’s mother has said: “My son was a lovely, hardworking, kind and respectful boy. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was taken from us too soon and in the worst possible way.” An 18-year-old man, and 16-year-old boy - have already been charged with murder and police are also appealing to find Ishmael Farquharson, 33, in connection with the murder.