Northampton stabbing: Kingsthorpe community 'speechless' and 'shocked' following fatal stabbing of 16-year-old boy

The fatal stabbing of 16-year-old schoolboy in Northampton has left a community in ‘shock’.

A teenage boy was fatally stabbed in Harborough Road, Kingsthorpe on Wednesday afternoon at around 3.35pm. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Four males aged 49, 21, 16 and 14, have been arrested in connection with the boy’s death and remain in police custody at this time, say Northamptonshire Police.

This newspaper spoke to Kingsthorpe residents on Thursday morning (March 23).

Anne Ashby, who has been living in the area since 1955, said: “All I heard was the helicopter. I was shocked, right on our doorstep.

"I still feel safe around here but I can’t understand why it happened. It frightens you. You don’t know who’s about. It’s not safe anymore. I feel sorry for the parents.”

Young mother Patricia Rufo, of Washington Street, said it is worrying. She said: “It’s worrying but I feel it’s an isolated incident. I feel safe here. It’s hopefully not something that will happen again. It’s shocking. It’s just crazy. Kids with knives.”

Carol Ann Mace added: “I’m really sad and quite angry. I think it needs to stop, we need more justice with knife crime and murders in general. I think sentencing means that people think they will be out in three years but if you take a life you should get a life.

“I’m scared for my children, I don’t want to let them out."

She added: “It’s felt a bit eerie around here today.”

Joyce Wallace, who has lived in Welford Road for 30 years, said: “It's something you can’t express. It’s terrible. I feel so sorry for the parents. I have just seen some very upset schoolchildren.”

Mother of one Tam added: “I’m heartbroken. I feel, as a mum, I can’t picture my life without my little boy, and those parents will have to do that for the rest of their lives. No one should go through that. He’s been taken away from them.”

Another mother of one, from St James, who wishes not to be named, said: “I’m speechless. Really upset. My friend’s daughters go to the same school and they were asking what happened. It just does not bear thinking about. It’s hard to take in. I can’t imagine what the kids at school are going through and the families it’s affected.

"People are not scared of repercussions of carrying knives and the devastation they do to families.”

Labour councillor Harry Barrett (Kingsthorpe South) said the last 24 hours have been ‘devastating’.

Cllr Barrett said: "The last 24hrs has been devastating for our community and town.

“I want to pass on my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the young man who has been so cruelly robbed of his life and future.

“Alongside the leadership and safeguarding teams at Kingsthorpe College, we have been working through the night and morning to draw up an action plan to support the school's students and staff in this incredibly difficult time.

“This is an unprecedented time for the school, and the leadership team and staff are doing all that they can to navigate what is an extremely difficult situation under the most tragic of circumstances.

“Your Kingsthorpe Councillors have been working, and will continue to work, alongside all agencies in the community, offering our support and advice where required.

“I'd like to thank the emergency services teams for their work last night and this morning - I spoke with officers at the scene last night, who asked that anyone with any information big or small to come forward and help them with their investigations.

“I'd advise members of the public to avoid speculating about the details of the case on social media, out of respect for the family and to allow Northamptonshire Police to conduct what is a live investigation.

“The whole community will be grieving, and I'd encourage anyone that needs support or help to get in touch with myself or my fellow ward councillors.

“My email address is [email protected] for anyone that needs to get in touch."

Police officers are now appealing for witness or any information – no matter how small.

Superintendent Rachael Handford said earlier today: "With that, we would also encourage people with information, however small, to get in touch with us a soon as they can, if they have not already done so.

“Any little detail may assist our investigation. And we would rather have small pieces of information that are well meaning and then not use them, than not have them at all."

Witnesses, anyone with information, or anyone with CCTV, doorbell, or dash-cam footage of the area at the time, should call Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 23000174855.

Alternatively information can be submitted via an online portal: (mipp.police.uk) or by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.