Tributes to Tile Hill man stabbed to death in fight

Flowers have been left in the area

Tributes have been paid to a man who was stabbed to death in a fight in Coventry.

The victim, who has been named locally as Emanuel Lukenga, 21, was stabbed in the leg in Tile Hill on Wednesday.

Several men were seen running across Tile Hill Lane "moments" before the brawl broke out, police said.

Friend Scott Hunter said he had known Mr Lukenga since he arrived in the UK as a child and the pair played football together.

"He'd literally just come to the UK and I remember, he couldn't speak English or anything.

"It's changed my life.. it's like another part of [has] gone," he said.

Coventry councillor Lynnette Kelly said the victim went to school with one of her children "and I know that his family and friends will be devastated".

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The victim was fatally stabbed after a fight broke out on Wednesday afternoon

The former assistant police and crime commissioner for the West Midlands urged parents to speak to their children about the dangers of knife crime.

Leighton Brady, the owner of Coventry's Toe-2-Toe Boxing Academy said the victim had "fought for us a couple of times about a year ago" but had not been in recent months.

He said he was very talented, adding adding: "He was a lovely lad."

West Midlands Police were called at 14:30 BST on Wednesday to reports of violence in gardens behind Franklin Grove.

Det Insp Nick Barnes said: "We understand a group of around six or seven young men were fighting in rear gardens off Franklin Grove when one suffered a fatal stab wound,"

The victim has yet to be formally identified by the force, but was aged in his early 20s.

Floral tributes to "Manny" were left at the scene in Franklin Grove on Thursday.

A post-mortem examination is due to take place on Friday.