Boy, 14, arrested on suspicion of murder after teenager dies in Gateshead
Northumbria Police found teenage boy with injuries ‘consistent with having been caused by a bladed article’
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a teenager was stabbed to death in Gateshead.
The victim, who is also 14, was found with serious injuries just before 8pm on Monday in the Aycliffe Crescent area of the Springwell Estate.
Northumbria Police found the teenage boy with injuries “consistent with having been caused by a bladed article”. The boy, who has not been named, later died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Detectives launched a murder investigation and a 14-year-old boy has now been arrested and is being held in custody.
A 13-year-old girl has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and also remains in custody.
Officers have cordoned off the area and have been pictured searching the surrounding scrubland and long grass.
The victim’s family are being supported by specially trained officers.
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron said: “A teenage boy has sadly died and his family have been left devastated beyond belief.
“Our thoughts are very much with his loved ones at this time and we are supporting them in every way we can.
“We are determined to find out exactly what happened and a full investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
“We have arrested two teenagers in relation to the incident and officers remain in the area to carry out a range of enquiries and offer reassurance to the community.
“While incidents of this nature are rare in our region, whenever they do occur we are committed to bringing those responsible to justice.”
At a news briefing at Forth Banks police station in Newcastle, Ms Barron was asked whether the incident followed a relatively minor dispute, rather than a long-running feud between gangs.
She declined to give details, saying: “Unfortunately at this time, I can’t disclose anything.
“It’s at the very early stages of the investigation with it obviously only happening last night.”
Other questions from the media, such as the circumstances of the fatal incident, whether a knife had been recovered and whether more arrests could follow, were answered in a similar way.
Northumbria’s police and crime commissioner Kim McGuinness said: “It’s devastating that our region has lost another young person to serious violence, and my thoughts are with the victim’s family who will be experiencing unimaginable pain.
“This should never have happened and it now sits with our police to carry out extensive enquiries to establish the full circumstances that have led to the senseless loss of a young life.
“I recognise the shock and concern that will no doubt be felt across local communities and I know officers will be on hand to offer reassurance.”
Additional reporting by PA