Female Victim Knifed in Birmingham City Bus Shelter Attack Succumbs to Injuries
The female victim who was stabbed in the neck in an unprovoked attack at a bus stop within Birmingham has passed away, police have confirmed.
The victim, aged 34 years, came under attack on Smallbrook Queensway street, right beside the Bullring shopping centre, shortly before 9 PM GMT Friday evening, West Midlands Police said.
Djeison Rafael, twenty-one, appeared before Birmingham Magistrates Court on Monday, charged over the attack.
He was previously accused with attempted murder however after the victim's passing the charge has been updated to include murder.
Law Enforcement Actions
The force said officers would be around the city centre on Monday providing public assurance, and investigators were supporting the woman's family.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses who might have observed the accused, who is described as British citizen of Black ethnicity, and is believed to have been wearing grey athletic wear, black hat, athletic shoes with a backpack.
Attack Site Details
The knife attack occurred outside Bullring retail complex, opposite primary access point of New Street railway station.
Police said they were treating it as a random violent act and Det Insp James Nix said they were working to understand the motive behind.
Eyewitness Reports
Shalini Doal, who works nearby, described paramedic and police activity after completing her work period at about 22:00 Friday night.
She described the scene as extremely disorderly, adding that some of her colleagues heard a commotion around 9 PM.
"A lot of my colleagues take public transport, take the tram... our safety is at risk fundamentally, here in the city centre."
Ashley Birks, 25, resident of Stoke, said he came the city quite frequently to see his girlfriend who lives in the city, and was concerned regarding the incident.
"It makes me worried for my girlfriend," he stated.
"She lacks transportation employed at all of the big music venues... and to think something completely unprovoked [happened], understandably, it's horrible."
