A city center has been sealed off by police after a 13-year-old boy was stabbed. Officers have flooded an area outside a McDonald’s in Grand Central, Birmingham. The stabbing was in Stephenson Street earlier today (January 18), according to local reports.
West Midlands Police said in a statement: “We were called after a teenage boy was stabbed in Stephenson Place in the city centre, shortly after 4.30pm today. The 13-year-old boy has been taken to hospital with potentially life-changing injuries .
“We will have more officers in the area tonight to offer reassurance to the public.
“People with information should contact us via Live Chat on our website or by calling 101 quoting log number 2795 of 18 January.”
At the time of the stabbing, rush hour was underway with the area teeming with people, according to Birmingham Live.
A witness told the news website: “There’s a large police presence and Grand Central ramp sealed off by police, blue tape and blue lights everywhere.”
West Midlands Ambulance Service said in a statement: “We were called at 4.41pm to an incident on Stephenson Place, Birmingham, along with police colleagues.
“An ambulance, paramedic officer, a MERIT trauma doctor and critical care paramedic responded to the scene.”
Wintess, David Eden-Sangwell, told Birmingham Live: “I saw people looking up the ramp at some sort of commotion, but I couldn’t see anything going on when I looked.
“About 10 [minutes] later I saw the first police car arrive, driving up the tram way past New Street station pulling up between the ramp and Apple Store.
“That was followed by a police van and another police car coming down the hill towards the ramp.
“I saw the police coming away from McDonald’s, having set up the police tape at either end of the ramp, clearing the public under the tape at the bottom.
“When the ambulance arrived a minute or two later they went straight into the McDonald’s followed by a response doctor.”
Stephenson Street is minutes away from an area dubbed one of Birmingham’s crime hotspots.
Worcester Street and a surrounding tunnel saw nearly three crimes a day reported on or near the route. It is an area often used by shoppers heading from Grand Central up to the city’s Rotunda.
In November, there were 13 reports of theft from a person, such as a handbag snatch or mobile phone theft. Victims also reported 15 violent and sexual offenses to West Midlands Police in the same month, Birmingham Live reports.
A total of 89 offenses were recorded in October and 75 in September along the route, according to police figures.
