Muhammad Ali was just enjoying a hot chocolate with a friend on a winter’s day in Birmingham when he was stabbed to death. He was just 17. Today, two boys aged just 15 have been convicted over his senseless killing.
Muhammad and his friend arranged to meet in the city centre at around 2.30pm on 20 January this year.
They met up in the Little Dessert shop in the Bullring before heading towards Victoria Square, where they sat next to the Floozie in the Jacuzzi.
They didn’t know they’d been followed by two 15-year-old boys who were preparing to confront them.
The pair confronted Muhammad and his friend, demanding to know where they were from and if they were responsible for an earlier attack on one of their friends. They weren’t.
The pair continued to quiz Muhammad and his friend, until Muhammad told the pair to go away because he didn’t know what they were talking about.
At that, one of the boys suddenly pulled out a large knife and stabbed him in the chest before fleeing.
Ali was taken to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, but the damage to his heart was too severe and he was pronounced dead at around 6.40pm.
Police 0launched a major investigation and identified and tracked the boys from CCTV. They were arrested on 23 January.
While only one of them stabbed Ali, the second youth was shown to have encouraged the other.
One 15-year-old boy, who can’t be named for legal reasons, has now been convicted of murder and possession of a knife. The other has been convicted of manslaughter and possession of a bladed article.
They will be sentenced in October.
Det Insp Michelle Thurgood, who led the investigation, said: “Sadly this is another case that of young men carrying a knife, and being willing to use it with catastrophic consequences.
“Muhammad had simply been enjoying a day out with a friend. There’s no evidence at all that he knew either of the boys who went on to kill him, and no evidence he was involved in any earlier attack.
“This appalling violence which causes misery on families has to stop. We are relentless in our work to tackle knife crime, arresting those who do carry blades, and helping to educate those who could be drawn into that lifestyle.
“But we need help. We need help from parents, guardians, teachers – anyone who cares for young people. I’d urge them to share Muhammad’s story with the young people in their lives and to really consider the devastating consequences it has had for everyone involved.”