Pictured: Boy, 12, stabbed to death on his way home from school as police quiz 14-year-old for murder and head teacher pays tribute to 'lovely and bright youngster'
A 12-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in Birmingham on his way home from school has been named as Leo Ross.
Tributes are pouring in for Leo after he was found with serious injuries in Hall Green after 3pm on Tuesday.
Emergency services were called at 3.44pm and the boy was taken to hospital with stab wounds to the stomach, but later died.
A 14-year-old teenager arrested on suspicion of murder has also now been arrested over an assault on a woman in her 80s, police have said.
The boy is alleged to have carried out the attack against the woman in the same Hall Green area of the city where Leo was killed on Sunday.
Chief Superintendent Richard North told a press conference today that a member of the public tried to help the boy at the scene, near Scribers Lane, before emergency services arrived.
He said a passer-by had attempted to administer aid amid the 'chaotic and absolutely traumatic scene', adding: 'Sadly, despite the best efforts of police officers and paramedics who treated him at the scene, he lost his life later that day at about 7.30pm.'
Mr North told reporters: 'As a result of urgent inquiries, a boy aged 14 has been arrested. That happened at 7pm yesterday at an address in Birmingham.
'He remains in custody and has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The same 14-year-old has also been arrested for another assault, for an unrelated matter. He is also in custody for that.'
Leo Ross, 12, died after being stabbed in the stomach in the Hall Green area of Birmingham on Tuesday
A forensics officer works at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham
A 14-year-old boy arrested over a fatal stabbing is also being held over an assault on a pensioner, police said today
School friends of the boy killed in the attack, named locally as Leo, visited the police cordon to lay flowers.
Riley, 13, was in the same class as Leo. He said: 'He was a really nice lad. Never gets in trouble, he always attended lessons, he's always in school. He had some friends. He's just a quiet kid.'
Riley's mother Christine Barton, 42, said: 'What happened to him is really, really sad. My kids were up most of the night crying over it. They said what a sweet boy he was never ever in trouble. It's definitely frightened my children.
'If they feel uncomfortable going to and from school, I'm happy to drive them for a while and pick them up, because I'm worried about their safety at the moment.
'It's just so raw, it's horrible. Something really, really needs to change - so many young lives have been taken.
'I just really feel for the little boy's mother.'
Friends said Christ Church of England Secondary Academy School, where Leo attended, held a special assembly and said prayers for the tragic youngster.
Headteacher Diane Henson described his death as a tragedy.
She said this afternoon: 'Leo was a lively and happy young man. He had many very good friends who he absolutely adored, and they adored him.
'He was just a lovely and bright member of the school community. We're supporting the children at school and are opening a book of condolence with the family's permission.
'Are thoughts are with Leo's family and all his friends today.'
Leo's family and school are now asking for their privacy to be respected.
Devastated school friends left flowers and handwritten notes for Leo
Tributes named Leo Ross as the victim of the attack as dozens of bouquets were laid
Dozens of bouquets were laid at the scene by Wednesday evening
Flowers have been laid at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham
A 12-year-old boy was stabbed near a primary school in Birmingham on Tuesday
Speaking after laying lowers, one emotional school pal said: 'He was a really good kid. He was nice, always a good kid.
'We had an assembly and we did a little worship about Leo and how he was kind and all that stuff. And we prayed for him.
'He was a good kid, he'd always do his work. He always liked Science. And he was so nice to everyone and was always welcoming.
'These boys, his close friends, told us what happened and he got stabbed, and I was really upset.
'Everyone was really upset and teachers I know were really upset too.'
A mother, whose child goes to the same school, added: 'It's just really shocking isn't it, because you hear about these things and then when it happens on your own doorstep in your children's school, it's heartbreaking.'
One note left at the scene read: 'Rest easy, you were taken too soon.
'Hope you're having fun up there, you will be missed and we will get justice.'
Another wrote: 'Rest in peace Leo Ross. You were loved by many people and your killer's one sicko.
'I am thinking you are in a better place. I hope you are enjoying the afterlife.'
Aanother said: 'RIP Leo Ross. We will miss you loads. Our lives won't be the same without you. You will always be the kindest.
'Fly high Leo. You never deserved this, ever.'
Appealing for witnesses and information about the fatal stabbing, Chief Spt North said at a press conference today: 'This is an absolutely appalling incident. We have got specialist detectives working on the inquiry, but also supporting the loved ones of the 12-year-old that has very, very sadly and tragically lost his life.'
'I would ask the public not to speculate about what happened - this is a very early stage of the inquiry. We are obviously dealing with it with a tremendous amount of priority.
'Detectives are working around the clock to get to the truth of what happened.'
He added: 'What I would urge is that anyone who was in the area of Scribers Lane at around that time - the incident happened at 3.40pm - get in touch with us and let us know where they were, if they saw anything unusual or suspicious.
'We have set up a major incident public portal, which can be found on our website. People can find that and they can upload information directly on to that. It might be CCTV they have, phone footage or dashcam footage.'
Police declined to speculate on whether or not the youth under arrest was known to the 12-year-old who died.
A member of the public leaves flowers at the crime scene on Wednesday morning
Chief Superintendent Richard North speaking to the media at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham
Police officers at the scene near Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham
Answering media questions near a passageway beneath a railway bridge leading to the country park where the boy was stabbed, Chief Spt North described the 14-year-old in custody as 'a key line of inquiry' and his arrest as 'significant'.
Questioned about the scale of knife crime in the Birmingham area, Mr North said anyone who is found carrying a knife over the age of criminal responsibility faced a 'very high chance' of being arrested and brought into custody.
He continued: 'On a day like today it's really difficult to talk about the progress that we have made about knife crime. Because it's always going to look weak against the fact of what's happened to this 12-year-old.
'I don't want to cause any additional stress to the people that knew him and loved him.'
A police officer at the scene on Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area of Birmingham where a 12-year-old boy was stabbed
The boy was attacked near Scribers Lane in Hall Green, Birmingham, yesterday
West Midlands Police hold a crime scene on Scribers Lane in the Hall Green area
In a written statement issued to BBC News, a member of Leo's family described him as 'the most beautiful, kind child', and 'the nicest kid you would meet'.
The family member added that he was 'funny, sweet and had not one aggressive bone in his body', and had been walking a 10-minute route home.
Police have cordoned off several entrances to the Shire Country Park, which includes a stretch of the River Cole.
Residents living near a riverside path leading into a wooded area of the park spoke of their shock at discovering the victim's age and that he had died from his injuries.
One resident, who declined to give her name, said a member of the public had knocked on her door after 3pm on Tuesday asking for the area's postcode to assist emergency services in reaching the scene.
She told reporters: 'The first thing I knew was a gentleman came and asked for the postcode as somebody had been injured. He just came and knocked the door.
'We had two police cars and then a helicopter. I found out somebody had been stabbed last night but it wasn't till this morning that I realised the poor little soul had died.'
Some areas of the park where the attack happened, close to Trittiford Mill pool, had been plagued in the past by anti-social behaviour involving local youths, some riding quad bikes, one resident claimed.
'It's been a weekly occurrence,' the woman said. 'It's a short-cut for school children before and after school, but sometimes there are people just hanging around near a car.'
Police continued to attend the crime scene on Wednesday following the stabbing
A police dog handler was spotted at the scene of the fatal stabbing this morning
Police officers searched the park where Leo was found throughout Wednesday
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called to reports of a stabbing on Scribers Park Lane at 3.31pm yesterday.
'One ambulance, a paramedic officer and a MERIT trauma doctor with a Critical Care Paramedic attended the scene. On arrival we discovered one patient, a boy.
'Ambulance staff administered emergency treatment at the scene before transporting the boy to hospital.'
Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood shared a statement on its website following the death of a 12-year-old pupil near Scribers Lane in Hall Green on Tuesday.
The statement said: 'Our condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of one of our CCSA students.
'This is a very sad time for our school community and we are focusing on supporting our students, staff and families with professional support.
'As this is a live police investigation, we are unable to share any further details with you.
'At this difficult time, we would urge parents and carers not to contact the school office unless it is for an emergency.'
Police are asking anyone with information to use the major incident public portal or call 101 quoting log 3324 of January 21.
