A teenager has been stabbed to death outside a mosque, with two others rushed to hospital in the West Midlands on Friday.
Police were called to a mosque on Smethwick Road in Sandwell, Birmingham, just before 9pm on Friday following reports of an altercation.
Zeeshan Afzal, 18, was found stabbed-to-death in the car park of Jamia Masjid mosque – busy for evening prayer during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
A heavy presence of several ambulances, a paramedic officer and the Air Ambulance car with Critical Care Paramedics was pictured at the scene.
A 19-year-old and a 20-year-old have also been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and the force are not currently treating the stabbing as religiously or racially motivated.
West Midlands Police are still working to find out the full circumstances around the crime and who was involved.
They are calling for witnesses or people with information about the stabbing to contact them on 101, quoting log number 4896 of February 20.
A spokesman for the force said: “A murder investigation is underway after a teenager has tragically died after being stabbed in Smethwick.
Zeeshan Afzal, 18, was found stabbed-to-death in the car park of Jamia Masjid mosque
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“We were called following disorder outside a mosque on Oldbury Road at just before 9pm yesterday (February 20).“
“An 18-year-old man was found with serious injuries and tragically died. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this devastating time.
“Two other men – aged 19 and 22 – were taken to hospital although their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“At this stage the incident is not being treated as religiously or racially aggravated but we’re working to establish the full circumstances and who was involved. We’re reviewing CCTV and carrying out other enquiries in the area.
“We would urge witnesses or people with information, including mobile phone or dashcam footage, to please contact us on 101 quoting log number 4896 of 20 February. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
“We understand how deeply distressing and concerning this incident is and we will have extra officers in the area over the coming days to offer reassurance to the community”.
Worshippers at the mosque were told to ‘go back inside’ as the incident unfolded, with forensics officers at the scene on Saturday with a blue tent erected in the mosque’s car park.
Javed Iqbal, 52, Oldbury resident, said on Saturday: “I’ve been here a few times and it’s shocking. I’ve seen the forensics. Every week or so you hear of stabbings but you don’t think it’ll happen somewhere you’ve been. The families will be devastated”.
“We were inside for prayer, the Taraweeh Namaz, when we came out and saw all the people here. It was all men, ambulances and police. The police said ‘go back inside the mosque.’
“They sealed it off and the police said we could walk out but we couldn’t get our cars. It was roughly around 9.40pm. We were very panicked, we were shocked. I walked home last night.
“I came here today and the police said to give my mobile number and when everything is open, they would let me know”.
Syed Ahmad, 48, said: “I came here at 7.40pm for Isha Namaz, for one and a half hours. I came out at 9.20pm and there was police and ambulances. Police were saying ‘is there anybody injured? Is there anybody injured?’
“On the corner there was police and doctors. It was horrible. People were crying – just young guys”.