Children living in blood spattered crime scene after murder

"I'm thinking to move straight away"

Children living in blood spattered crime scene after murder

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Families with young children are living in the centre of a blood spattered crime scene after a man was killed in a triple stabbing.

Blood was still visible on the stairwell and communal areas of the block of flats which is now the centre of a murder probe, on Hillaby Close, off Upper Warwick Street, in Toxteth on Tuesday afternoon. The 28-year-old victim was pronounced dead in hospital after being stabbed at around 1pm on Sunday, while a second man, in his 30s, remains in a critical condition.

A woman, also in her 30s, was left with serious injuries but is in a stable condition. The ECHO understands the female victim, described as a "lovely woman" who was often seen in the area walking her small dog, was slashed in the face.

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Neighbours described how witnesses came to her aid and sat her in a fold-up camping chair until help arrived. The chair, and medical equipment, remained strewn on the floor outside the flats.

Merseyside Police were first called to the scene shortly after lunchtime on Sunday, with an air ambulance helicopter also dispatched which landed on a patch of grass on the corner of Claribel Street.

A large cordon remained in place around the scene, blocking off Upper Warwick Street between its junction with Princes Avenue and Trefoil Close, until Tuesday lunchtime.

Today the ECHO spoke to residents in the block of flats where the stabbing occurred. One man, who did not wish to be named, said he was in his flat with his young children when he heard shouting outside.

He said: "I stayed inside and blocked the windows. It sounded serious, I was with my kids. There were two men on the floor. One had run out and collapsed outside.

"I'm thinking to move straight away. I've complained to Riverside, there is always trouble on the top floors. The bottom two floors are families, but the top floors there is trouble with drugs, and drinking and shouting."

Other residents in the flats, and a second block opposite, described hearing shouts before the sound of sirens and the rotors of the air ambulance helicopter.

One local woman, who lived near the flats, said she and her daughter were alerted by the sound of the helicopter overhead. She said her daughter checked their CCTV cameras and saw the female victim a few moments earlier.

She told the ECHO: "The woman, the one who got slashed to her face, was shouting up to someone in the window, and just before that there was a man on his phone. They went out of view and that's when I think it happened.

"Afterwards she was sat on a chair and all the neighbours were gathered around her so we couldn't see her. There was a lad on the floor and the police were there. The helicopter landed over by Crawford House and the leaves were going everywhere, it was like the Wizard of Oz."

Another local business owner said: "She was a lovely girl, she was always looking after her little sister and walking her dog. I don't know how she got dragged into this."

Merseyside Police said on Monday that the incident was believed to be targeted and the offender is known to the victims. So, far the force has not announced any arrests.

Detective Chief Inspector Allison Woods said: “This was a shocking attack that has tragically resulted in the death of a man. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and specialist officers are currently supporting them.

“There are two other victims who remain in hospital after sustaining serious injuries in this attack. Although it’s still early in the investigation, we believe this was targeted and that the suspect is known to the victims.

“We are determined to find the male responsible for this attack and we will be relentless in our pursuit. The local community will be concerned by this incident, but please be assured that our investigation is ongoing to find him and remove him from our streets."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to direct message the force's social media desk via X (formerly Twitter) @MerPolCC quoting log number 451 of 10^th December. You can also pass information via the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form.

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