Handsworth bus knife attack: Murder investigation launched after Smethwick man stabbed to death
A man from Smethwick was stabbed to death during an attack on the upper deck of a bus in Birmingham prompting a murder investigation.
Police are hunting for a man who carried out the knife attack last night in Handsworth after a members of the public raised the alarm.
Officers were called to the bus following reports a passenger had been attacked during an altercation at around 10.45pm.
They say, after reviewing CCTV, that two men were involved in an altercation, initially verbal, before turning physical.
They found a man, aged 35, who is from Smethwick, with stab wounds towards the back of the top deck on the 11A bus in Rookery Road.
Emergency services carried out CPR at the scene, but the man died a short time later from his injuries.
He has not been formally identified at this stage.
Police say there were five people on the top deck of the bus.
Officers have spoken to one of those people but are still seeking information from the others.
Police issued a further appeal for information to aid the investigation.
The victim was already on the bus when the second man got on board in the Rookery Road area and they sat opposite sides of the aisle.
An urgent appeal has been man to trace a man in connection with the attack.
He is describe as as a black man, aged around 30 years and wearing a baseball cap and padded jacket.
He is believed to have left the bus at Wellington Road, Hamstead.
Rookery Road, together with part of Oxhill Road and Greenhill Road, remains closed this morning while forensic teams carry out their investigation.
They are likely to remain closed for the rest of today.
Detectives continue to trawl CCTV and carry inquiries in the local area.
Temporary Superintendent Tom Chisholm, from the force's CID, said: "This is a fast paced enquiry and we are doing everything we can to catch the person responsible.
"We have been examining CCTV from the bus and we know that there were five passengers on the top deck who may have seen the attack.
"Only one person has come forward and I am appealing to the three men and one woman who was travelling on the bus to contact me at their earliest opportunity.
"They may not have realised what was going on or the severity of the incident, but they are key witnesses and I need to speak to them.
"I would also like to appeal to anyone who has any knowledge of who the man responsible could be to contact me.
"Has someone come home with blood on their clothes, does the description match anyone you know? If the answer is yes then please call me.
"The family of the man who has been killed are being supported by specialist officers and our thoughts remain with them at this time."
They are asking anyone who travelled on the No. 11A bus last night, heading towards the city centre and who may have seen what happened to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Police have also moved to reassure people with patrols across bus routes in the wake of the stabbing.
