Dea-John Reid, a 14-year-old boy, was subjected to racist abuse before being pursued and stabbed to death in Birmingham, according to police.
Six persons have been detained on suspicion of murder, including four men in their 30s and two boys aged 13 and 14, all of which currently remain in police custody.
The assault on Monday evening, according to police, occurred after Dea-John and his pals were subjected to racial remarks during an earlier incident. The N-word is alleged to have been used in the insults, according to the Guardian.
According to police, the previous incident intensified, and Dea-John was pursued along a public road in Kingstanding, north Birmingham, before being stabbed and losing his life at the scene. A postmortem investigation revealed a knife wound to his chest as the cause of death.
Police are reportedly looking into the connection between the initial incident and the murder, which occurred in the same Birmingham neighborhood.
On Tuesday, West Midlands police issued a statement denying any racial motivation for the assault, but later indicated they were keeping an open mind due to community concern.
The first incident is being investigated for possible racial motive, but police are not satisfied that the murder can be classified as a hate crime, according to reports.
Dea-John’s family said during a tribute which was held on Wednesday: “We’d like to thank the emergency services for their diligence and support … and the public for their outpouring of love and support throughout this tragic and challenging time.”
“This loss not only affects us but everyone Dea-John knew, we have lost a son, his siblings have lost a brother and others have lost a friend. The passing of this incredibly talented young boy will be felt by us all. How many more mothers will have to mourn for their sons for this to stop?”
DCI Stu Mobberley of the West Midlands police homicide unit said of the investigation: As the investigation has progressed we now believe there was an incident involving Dea-John and his friends shortly before the murder. That quickly escalated, resulting in Dea-John’s tragic death.”
“During this precursor incident racist language was directed at Dea-John and his friends; that’s now being investigated. We’re still appealing for witnesses, anyone who saw or heard anything that could help our investigation, to get in touch so we can build up a clear picture of what happened.”
Desmond Jaddoo, a local community activist who has been in contact with the family since the murder, expressed disappointment that the police first dismissed the notion of racial motivation, saying adding that, he had expressed concerns about racial abuse with the chief constable earlier in the week.
Long-standing community accusations have been leveled at police for failing to address hate crimes seriously and properly.
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