We 'saved lives' - Police Chief defends response to Birmingham stabbings
West Midlands Police have defended their response to a spate of stabbings in Birmingham earlier this month, saying they acted within minutes and 'saved lives'.
The force received criticism from some people following the incident, with Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood questioning why the suspect was not caught sooner and indicating that victim Jacob Billington could have been saved were there a quicker response from the police.
However, Chief constable Dave Thompson laid out an exact timeline of the events in the early hours of September 6, revealing the suspect left the city centre between attacks, rather than staying in one place.
The police response on the night:
First attack on one victim: We responded in seven minutes from the call being received. The first officers arrived three minutes after they had been allocated by the control room.
Attack two on two victims: We responded 13 minutes after the call was received. Officers arrived three minutes after allocation.
Attack three on two victims: We responded six minutes after the call was received. Officers arrive four minutes after allocation.
Attack four on three people: We responded seven minutes after the call was received. Officers arrive four minutes after allocation.
23-year-old Jacob Billington was stabbed to death during the attacks. He had been out with school friends when he was attacked in Irving Street in the early hours of Sunday morning (6th September). 7 others were also injured.
27-year-old Zephaniah McLeod has been charged with murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
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