Peacemakers Patrol make appeal!
Yet another young man stabbed to death in St.Pauls. These stabbings must STOP🫸We are appealing to Parents and Grandparents to step up to the plate to save our young people’s lives..IT could be YOUR CHILD OR GRANDCHILD, Nephew, Niece or Cousin NEXT!! Let’s get proactive meet on the Green in St. Pauls Tuesday 25th at 1pm (weather permitting) for a Patrols vigil for the lives lost through knives, and to say a firm 🚫⛔NO to knives on our streets…
Reverend Dawnecia Palmer – Chief Commissioner PEACEMAKERS Prayer and City Safety Patrols.🙏🏽
A vigil will be held in St Pauls this week to remember victims of knife crime, following a young man’s tragic death. The 19-year-old, who has not yet been named by police, has been described in the devastated community as a “lad who was very loved”.
He was from St Pauls and hundreds of tributes have been paid in his memory on social media, with many of his friends saying they cannot believe he is gone. Prayers were held at the Elim Church on Jamaica Street over the weekend, and there will be another opportunity tomorrow (Tuesday) to pay respects at the green in St Pauls*.
The teenager was found injured on Grosvenor Road just after 11pm on Friday night (July 21), but sadly could not be saved despite being taken to hospital. A post-mortem examination on Saturday confirmed the cause of death as knife wounds, according to Avon and Somerset Police.
Full police update on Sunday as murder investigation launched
A murder investigation has been launched by the force’s Major Crime Investigation Team, who have already eliminated one person from their enquiries – a teenager arrested near the scene on Friday night. He has been charged with an unrelated offence of possessing an offensive weapon.
Dawnecia Palmer, who has worked for decades to fight crime in the St Pauls community, spoke of her shock after the young man’s death. She runs the Peacemakers Prayer and City Safety patrols to help prevent violent crime, but said there had been less need recently as the situation seemed to have stabilised.
However, Rev palmer said: “Now this has shattered that bubble.” She has organised a vigil at the Green from 1pm tomorrow in St Pauls, weather permitting, saying: “These stabbings must stop.”
She said the vigil’s aim is to remember “lives lost through knives, and to say a firm no to knives on our streets.” She appealed to parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles to help raise awareness of the dangers of knives to “save our young people’s lives”.
Another member of the community in St Pauls told Bristol Live: “This was a lad who was very loved here, everybody knew him liked him. The whole community is in absolute shock, people are very upset, saying ‘no, not him’.”
Eastville councillor Lorraine Francis also paid tribute, tweeting on Saturday: “Awoke to hear that another youths life has been taken in St Paul’s. Sad times for the community and his loved ones. As a cllr and human being I send a heartfelt please for peace.”
Increased police patrols
A police spokesperson said yesterday: “There will be an increased police presence in St Pauls as the investigation continues. Our neighbourhood teams will be carrying out uniformed patrols as a contact point for the community.
“We’re still in the early stages of our enquiries and are exploring all avenues of investigation. We still need any information the community can give. You can contact us by calling 101 or through our website. Please give the reference 5223175298.
“Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously. You won’t be asked your name and cannot be traced whether you ring 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form.”
*An earlier version of this article incorrectly named College Green as the location of the vigil. The location is in fact the green in St Pauls and we wholeheartedly apologise for the confusion
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