Family of Birmingham boy, 16, stabbed to death, fled war-torn Somalia

Family who fled war-torn Somalia for better life in UK give grave warning to youngsters carrying knives after their ‘ambitious’ son, 16, was stabbed to death outside Birmingham college

•  Sidali Mohammed, 16, died after being stabbed outside his sixth form college
• He was stabbed at Joseph Chamberlain College, Birmingham at 4pm Wednesday
• His family came from poverty, moving to Birmingham to find a better life
• They have raised £3,950 to build a well for people in need, in Sidali’s honour

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 A family who fled war-torn Somalia for a better life in the UK, only for their 16-year-old son to be stabbed outside a Birmingham sixth form college have warned youngsters of the grave consequences of knife crime. 

Sidali Mohammed, 16, was stabbed outside Joseph Chamberlain College in Balsall Heath, Birmingham last Wednesday.

After the attack he remained in a coma and died in hospital two days later when his life support was switched off with his family around him.

Sidali Mohammed, 16, suffered a serious stab wound to his chest and his life-support machine was turned off two days later, West Midlands Police sai

A 16-year-old boy has been remanded in custody.

Today, Sidali’s heartbroken family today paid tribute to their  ‘amazing and angelic’ son calling on youngsters to wake up the consequences of knife crime.

Sidali, who fled Somalia with his family as a toddler, was described as an ‘honourable young man who strived to do his best.’

A statement released by police said: ‘He was a son, a brother, a cousin, a nephew and an amazing friend. He had many ambitions and goals which he desired to achieve.

‘Sidali was a driven young man who was currently studying his A-levels and aspired to become an accountant.

‘Sidali shared his goals continuously with his father, who supported him endlessly, as they were best of friends.

‘This aspiration was fuelled by his family who came from poverty, as they fled from a war torn country when he was just a toddler.

The 16-year-old was knifed outside Joseph Chamberlain College in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, just after 4pm last Wednesday before dying in hospital two days later after his life support was switched off. Police have charged a 16-year-old boy, over the death 

‘His determination, thirst and enthusiasm has allowed him to be a role model for many of his peers, family and community.

‘He has built a strong foundation for his family to grow upon.

‘He was loved by many and we are saddened to have lost an angelic soul in such a tragic way.

‘I hope this is a lesson for young people who don’t understand the consequences of knife crime.

The stabbing took place outside Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Birmingham, pictured. The college saw a similar attack in January 2017 as 18-year-old student Mohammed Abdullah Al-Maahir was stabbed three times on a road nearby and suffered critical injuries

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‘Sidali will always remain in our hearts as his legacy will live on. Thank you for all the love and support that we have received at this time.’ 

Sidali’s family have set up a fundraising page to finance a well in his honor raising £3,953 of the £5,400 goal in three days. 

A boy aged 16, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with attempted murder. He has been remanded in custody ahead of a hearing on March 18. 

A 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have been released on bail.

Officers are still keen to speak to any witnesses to the disturbance.

Tributes to Sidali placed outside the gates of Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College , one reads: ‘Rest easy bro, gone too young’ 

College principal Tony Day said: ‘The whole college community is devastated and shocked by the tragic loss of our student, Sidali.

‘Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends.

‘Sidali was a wonderful young man, who was extremely popular with his peers and teachers.

‘He was doing well on his science course at college and had a really bright future ahead of him.

‘We will be doing everything we can to support his family and all of those affected by this very sad incident.’ 

Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College was closed for the rest of the week following the attack on Wednesday.  

Sidali Mohammed was one of three young men to be stabbed in and surrounding Birmingham in the last five days. 

Another incident took place on the same day, 13 February, where an 18-year-old was stabbed in the chest in Castle Vale, north of Birmingham, suffering non-life threatening injuries.

The college saw a similar attack in January 2017 as 18-year-old student Mohammed Abdullah Al-Maahir was stabbed three times on a road nearby the college – suffering critical injuries. 

Anyone with information on the attack has been asked to get in touch via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, call 101 anytime, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.  

Violence in ‘Wild West’ Britain has seen 69,000 children hurt

Nearly 70,000 children have been wounded in stabbings and beatings in just one year as violence on the streets of ‘Wild West’ Britain continues to spiral.

Jackie Sebire, assistant chief constable of Bedfordshire police, revealed the shocking statistic in October 2018 as she lamented the ‘constant torrent’ of murders and knife attacks unfolding in the UK.

Mrs Sebire said police forces face a ‘constant and sustained’ demand, adding: ‘Wild West? It can be… it’s happening in broad daylight, they’re in public spaces.’

Stats released earlier this month showed a wide range of offences showing dramatic increases

In the year to June there were 69,000 child woundings, where a youngster aged 10 to 15 was stabbed or seriously injured, a rise of 4,000 on the previous year.

Mrs Sebire, the National Police Chiefs’ Council spokesman for serious violent crime, said: ‘I’ve worked in some really challenging London boroughs. This is different, this level of violence, this constant torrent of every single day there is another stabbing, that we can’t seem to get ahead of.’

Police chiefs believe they are at a turning point, after years of struggling to meet high public expectations and soaring demand.

Recorded crime has risen by 9 per cent – including rocketing levels of knife crime and robbery – as 22,000 officers were lost from the frontline.

Statistics released earlier this month show the number of homicides nationwide is up from 630 to 719, with overall recorded crime up by almost 10%.

The number of offences registered as involving a knife or sharp instrument, 39,332, was the highest since 2011, when comparable records started.  

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