Luton stabbing: 15-year-old boy ‘fighting for his life’ after being stabbed more than 20 times
Police appeal for witnesses as youngster taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries
A 15-year-old boy is “fighting for his life” after being stabbed more than 20 times in the early hours of Tuesday.
Police are appealing for witnesses after the teenager was attacked in an incident at around 2.10am in Preston Gardens, Luton.
The victim was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Detective Inspector Jerry Waite, from Bedfordshire Police’s major crime unit, said: “The victim received more than 20 stab wounds in this shocking incident and is now fighting for his life.
“We have more than 30 officers working hard to establish the circumstances which led to the stabbing – but we need the public’s help too.”
Mr Waite added: “It’s absolutely vital that anyone who has any information about this incident, no matter how minor it may seem, gets in touch with us, You could help us find the person, or people, responsible for this horrific attack.”
Police are trying to establish the circumstances around the incident and have not identified any suspects at this time.
Last year, a Home Office report found knife crime has risen by 86 per cent since 2014 in Bedfordshire.
The increase has been attributed to gangs who are involved with drug-dealing moving from London into the Home Counties and challenging local dealers.
In 2018, Jackie Sebire, assistant chief constable of Bedfordshire Police, told Luton Today: “It’s true that we are seeing an increase in young people coming to Bedfordshire from other areas, like London, and dealing drugs.
“We have a dedicated operation to tackle this type of crime, as well as a guns and gangs team, the Boson team.”
She added that exploitation of young people by gang members was partly to blame for the rise in knife crime.
Across England and Wales, recent figures found that knife crime has surged to the highest levels since records began as police recorded more than 40,000 offences involving knives or sharp weapons in 2018.
Anyone with information on the Luton stabbing is asked to contact Bedfordshire Police on 101 or via their online reporting centre, quoting Operation Bald.
Alternatively, witnesses can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.