Two Bristol teenagers, both aged 15, have been charged with the murder of 16-year-old Darrian Williams, who was fatally stabbed in Rawnsley Park, Easton, on Wednesday. After being attacked, Darrian ran to Stapleton Road where a motorist tended to him before he collapsed and died in West Street, Old Market. The accused have also been charged with possessing a knife in a public place. They remain in police custody and will appear at Bristol Youth Court on Monday.
Det Insp Neil Meade, of Avon and Somerset Police, said that the force continues to deploy significant resources to the case and specialist family liaison officers have been assigned to provide Darrian’s family with support. “Our thoughts tonight are with Darrian’s family following this development,” he said. “We will keep them fully informed as [the investigation] progresses.”
This tragic event has shocked the local community and has highlighted the problem of knife crime in the UK. In 2019, there were 273 homicide victims in England and Wales who were killed with a knife—a 7% increase from the previous year. Young people are disproportionately affected by knife crime, with over a third of those caught carrying a knife being under the age of 20.
The UK government has initiated several measures to prevent knife crime, including tougher sentences for those carrying knives and the introduction of the Offensive Weapons Act, which bans weapons such as flick knives and zombie knives. However, more work needs to be done to address the underlying causes of knife crime, such as poverty, mental health, and social inequality
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