Teenager 'stabbed on top deck' of Stagecoach bus before collapsing in nearby road

A teenager was "stabbed on the upper deck" of a bus before staggering off and collapsing in a nearby road. The 15-year-old boy was stabbed following an altercation involving two teenage suspects aboard a Stagecoach bus on Walton Hall Avenue at around 5.35pm yesterday, Friday, November 29.

The ECHO understands the incident happened almost immediately after the two teenage male suspects boarded the bus, believed to be the 19 service. Following the stabbing, which happened on the top deck of the bus, the three teenagers all exited the vehicle.

The victim was located nearby with stab wounds to his back and has been taken to hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition. The ECHO has approached Merseyside Police for an update on the teenager's condition. The two suspects, described as teenage boys dressed in black and with their faces covered, ran in the direction of Queens Drive.

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An investigation has now been launched to identify and locate the two suspects. In an update this morning, Saturday, November 30 a spokesperson for Stagecoach told the ECHO: "We can confirm that an incident took place last night on our bus on Walton Hall Avenue just before six o’clock when a passenger travelling on the upper deck was assaulted by two others who had just boarded. Immediately following it, all involved left the bus."

The spokesperson added: "We operate thousands of bus journeys across the region each day and this was an isolated incident between a small number of individuals." Stagecoach added its buses are fitted with multiple CCTV cameras and it will work with the police to help officers identify the perpetrators. The spokesperson said the bus has been preserved as a crime scene.

Following the incident Merseyside Police cordoned off part of nearby Walton Hall Park. One resident said he was told by a witness that he saw a boy run the short distance across Walton Hall Avenue to Baythorne Road where he collapsed on the floor. Moments later there was "a lot of commotion" with "police everywhere".

Merseyside Police Detective Chief Inspector Lynsay Armbruster said: "This was clearly a shocking incident that has left a teenage boy in hospital with serious injuries. The incident started with an altercation on the bus involving three males.

They have all subsequently got off the bus and shortly afterwards officers were able to locate the victim nearby with serious stab wounds to his back. The community will rightly be concerned by this incident, but please be assured that we are taking this extremely seriously and we are determined to find the two males involved.

"The bus would have been busy with other passengers, who will also be alarmed at witnessing what happened. If you saw anything or have any information about this incident, please get in touch. Similarly, if you live in the area or were driving past at the time and saw what happened before or after the altercation on the bus, please come forward.

‌"There is simply no place in our communities for knives and on Merseyside we sadly know the consequences of people carrying these weapons. The use of knives is reckless and will not be tolerated, and can have tragic consequences, not only for the victim and their family but also for the offenders involved. I would urge people to educate themselves and speak to their children and family members about the dangers of knife crime."

If you have any information about this incident, you can call 101 or DM @MerPolCC, quoting log number 764 of 29th November. You can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and make a report anonymously.