Five teenagers arrested in attempted murder probe after boy, 16, stabbed in chest
Five teenagers have been arrested after a schoolboy was 'stabbed in the chest'. Police have launched an attempted murder probe after a 16-year-old boy was 'seriously' hurt.
The boy was taken to hospital after suffering a suspected stab wound to the chest. He is currently in a stable condition, police confirmed.
'Specialist officers' were quickly scrambled 'to ensure the safety' of the public following reports of the alleged city centre attack. A total of five people have since been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
READ MORE: Doctor says 'forgotten' food can 'soak up bad cholesterol'
Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here.
Police are now appealing for anyone who saw anything 'suspicious' in the area to step forward. Drivers with dash cam footage which could help the investigation are also urged to contact officers.
The alleged incident happened in Portsmouth city centre on Saturday, January 25. Hampshire Constabulary said: "We were called at 5.24pm to a report that the 16-year-old had been located on Commercial Road with a suspected stab wound to his chest.
"It was reported that the incident had taken place a short time earlier on Arundel Street. He has been taken to hospital for treatment, and is in a stable condition.
"His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening or life-changing at the current time. Specialist officers were deployed to the area to ensure the safety of members of the public and police at the scene."
The force added: "We have now arrested two 17-year-old boys, a 16-year-old boy, and an 18-year-old man, all from Portsmouth, and a 17-year-old boy, from Gosport, on suspicion of attempted murder. All five remain in police custody as our enquiries continue.
"As part of our ongoing investigation into this incident, we would like to hear from anyone who was in the city centre at around 5.20pm and saw what happened. Were you in Arundel Street or the nearby area at the time of the incident?
"Did you see what happened, did you see anything suspicious, or did you see anyone running from the area afterwards? Perhaps you were driving, or had a vehicle parked nearby that may have captured something via dash cam footage?"
The area was last night sealed off by police, with patrols stepped up. Anyone with information can submit information online here or by calling 101 quoting reference number 44250037073.
You can also contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ or on 0800 555 111.