A teenager has been jailed for nine years for the fatal stabbing of a man in Erdington.
Suleman Hassan, 18, admitted the manslaughter of Lamin Barrow, 25, who died in hospital on 29 November last year.
He had been stabbed on Chudleigh Road in Erdington, Birmingham.
Our officers and paramedics who were the first to arrive, cared for him as they fought to save his life.
The crime happened just before 4.15pm and other people witnessed that attack.
They were the ones who called us and the descriptions they gave of Hassan helped us track him down and arrest him around 12 hours later at his home on Short Heath Road, Erdington.
Detectives from our Homicide unit and our expert forensic teams worked around the clock to build the case against Hassan who police found out was a drug dealer.
Hassan provided a prepared statement in the interview and then answered no further questions. Whilst the motive for his actions remains unknown, he suggested he was acting in self-defense. The investigation did not find any evidence to support his claim.
Lamin died from a single stab wound to the abdomen which penetrated his heart and damaged his lung.
Detective Inspector Michelle Thurgood, from our Homicide team, led the team of detectives and forensic experts whose hard work secured today’s verdict.
She said: “I’d like to thank everyone who helped in this investigation, from the people who saw Lamin being attacked and called us, those who gave first aid, to the people who responded to our appeals for information and told us what they saw or shared their CCTV.
“There was no obvious reason why Lamin was killed and his family and friends will carry the pain of their loss forever. Our thoughts remain with them today.”
Lamin’s family said: “When Suleman Hassan went out that day he was carrying a knife, he took the life of our only son.
“The pain of losing Lamin so brutally is one that no one could ever understand unless it happens to you. Our hearts are completely broken.
“We did everything together he was our heart, our soul, our everything.
“We will never see him marry; we will never have the opportunity of grandchildren.
“Still to this day it doesn’t feel real. We still wait for him walking through the door. Our home is no longer a home without him in it cooking up a storm and always making us laugh.
“Nothing we say or do will ever bring Lamin back. We will never hear his voice, feel his touch, see his smile or hear his laughter.”
Hassan was charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter today.
Knife crime has to stop. We’re doing our best with education programmes, weapon searches, following up on tip offs and more. But we need you to help us.