Birmingham: Mum's hurt over another fatal stabbing

Muhammad Hassam Ali died after he was attacked in Victoria Square, Birmingham, on Saturday

A mother whose son was stabbed to death in a case of mistaken identity has spoken of her hurt after another boy was killed in similar circumstances.

Police said they suspected Muhammad Hassam Ali, 17, was targeted in Birmingham on Saturday afternoon after being wrongly singled out.

Pooja Kanda, who was bereaved in 2022, said she hoped the community would come together to find Muhammad's killer.

West Midlands Police has renewed an appeal for information.

Ms Kanda's son, Ronan, was 16 when he was fatally stabbed just yards from his home on Mount Road, Wolverhampton, after going to buy a Playstation controller from a friend.

Two 17-year-old boys were convicted of his murder.

Members of the Kanda family recently lent their support to actor Idris Elba's anti-knife crime campaign.

Ms Kanda said she did not want to see "another beautiful face" added to billboards along with that of her son.

She warned on Monday that unless action was taken: "We will keep losing innocent children - we shouldn't be normalising this behaviour."

She added that Muhammad and his family deserved justice.

Ronan Kanda was stabbed to death in Wolverhampton in June 2022 in a case of mistaken identity

Of Saturday's events, Ch Insp Mark Lacey from West Midlands Police urged members of the public to make contact if they had any information.

He said it was "early days" but the investigation was "progressing well" and officers were working on identifying witnesses and reviewing CCTV.

"We need the public and the community to help us - we always do as police, that isn't specific to this case," he added.

Pooja Kanda urged the community to "work together" to find Muhammad's killer

Anti-knife campaigner Malachi Nunes said people who carried knives should think about the families they could be destroying.

He said such weapons were carried by young people "out of fear" and because of "stupidity and carelessness".

Ch Insp Mark Lacey said the force believed Saturday's stabbing was a case of mistaken identity

Muhammad Hassam Ali was attacked near to the fountain in Victoria Square in Birmingham city centre at about 15:30 GMT on Saturday.

Police have asked for anyone with video of the scene at the time to come forward.

Figures in October last year showed the area covered by West Midlands Police had the highest rate of knife crime in England.

The scene where Muhammad was fatally stabbed