Victim of triple stabbing described as a 'powerful and inspirational woman'

  • Emma Sweeney reports from the scene.

A woman who was stabbed to death in Manchester has been named locally as a mother-of-four who worked as a carer.Alberta Obinim, 43, died following a triple stabbing on Barnard Road, Gorton, at around 11:20pm on Sunday.

A 17-year-old girl and a 64-year-old man were also seriously hurt and remain in a critical condition in hospital.Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have arrested a 22-year-old on suspicion of murder.

Detectives say the suspect was 'known to the victims'.

The scene in Barnard Road, Gorton. Credit: MEN Media

Family friend Ibrahim Abu said Ms Obinim was a member of the city’s Ghanaian community and attended Blessed Baptist Temple, a Christian church in nearby Levenshulme.Mr Abu said: “She was a very nice lady. I knew her very well. We all go to church together. She always talked to people and was a mother to everyone. She was always laughing.”Derrick Wiafe, another family friend, described Ms Obinim as a “powerful and inspirational woman”.

Alberta Obinim was described as a “powerful and inspirational woman”. Credit: MEN Media

Speaking after leaving white roses at the scene, a work colleague of Ms Obinim said the situation 'didn't seem real'.

Paying tribute she said: “She was amazing, she was lovely. I literally spoke to her just last week. She was so kind and caring. It’s just a proper shock. She’s got a lovely family."The 31-year-old, who did not give her name, said she worked with Ms Obinim at Chrysalis Care and the pair did home care in the local area.She added: “I worked with her quite often and everyone I spoke to at work is in shock. It doesn’t seem real.“I want to let her family know she was loved. Her family probably don’t realise how much the girls [her colleagues] do appreciate her. I don’t think anybody would have a bad word to say about her she was lovely, really nice. She was well loved at work,” she said, adding that she was ‘proud’ of her family.Commenting on what she was like as a colleague, the woman added: “She was a laugh, she was just funny. I would non-stop laugh with her. The people we used to care for loved her. It was non stop laughing with her, she was amazing.“The people we cared for really loved her. She’ll be missed.”

Greater Manchester Police said the suspect is believed to have been known to the victims Credit: Peter Byrne/PA

A huge police cordon remains in place on Barnard Road as forensic officers combed the street this morning. Three forensic tents are in place, outside a house, in the road and another in the front garden.Neighbours spoke about horrific scenes they witnessed. One, who gave his name as Reece, said he and his cousin had just returned from a takeaway and were sitting in his car when he heard people 'shouting'.Reece said: "I heard the neighbours saying: 'Get in, get in'. My cousin ran in the house. There was a guy with a knife chasing a girl. I said: 'Leave her alone, it's not worth it'. She fell and he stabbed her."I turned my car towards him but the girl was in the way. He started chasing my car with the knife."A woman said she heard people 'screaming' and saw a young man 'running in and out of a house'.She said: "They were saying: 'He's got a knife'. It was terrifying. People were staying inside, no one wanted to go out."

Detective Superintendent Toby Facey said: “We understand that the local community and further afield across Greater Manchester will be rightly shocked and concerned after waking up and hearing this tragic news this morning.“Our thoughts remain with those affected and their loved ones at this difficult time. We are doing all we can to support them. Within minutes of the call being made, our officers were at the scene and an arrest had been made.“An investigation has been launched and we are in the very early stages of our enquiries. We have had detectives on the ground who have been working throughout the night trying to get to the bottom of what has happened and why.“Local officers will remain in the area making enquiries, as well as an increased number of highly visible patrols. If you have any concerns, please speak to them.“We are appealing for any information; we would like to speak to anyone who had witnessed this incident to please come forward. We are also interested in speaking to anyone who was in the surrounding area near to Barnard Road at around 11pm and have any dashcam footage, this might be a help for us in piecing together what happened."