Woman Knifed in Birmingham Bus Shelter Attack Dies
The female victim who was stabbed to her neck area during a random assault at a bus stop in Birmingham has died, police have confirmed.
The deceased woman, aged 34 years, came under attack on Smallbrook Queensway street, just outside Bullring shopping complex, just prior to 21:00 GMT Friday evening, West Midlands Police said.
The suspect, twenty-one, appeared before Birmingham court on Monday, facing charges for the violent incident.
Originally charged of attempted murder however after the victim's passing the charge has been updated to murder.
Police Response
Authorities stated officers would be around the city centre on Monday to offer reassurance, while detectives assisted the victim's relatives.
Investigators are requesting any eyewitnesses who may have seen Mr Rafael, identified as a Black British national, and is believed to have been wearing grey athletic wear, dark headwear, trainers and rucksack.
Incident Location
The stabbing happened near the Bullring shopping centre, opposite primary access point of New Street railway station.
Police said they were treating it as "unprovoked attack" with investigators stating efforts continue to determine why it happened.
Witness Accounts
An area worker, employed in the vicinity, described the emergency response after completing her shift at about 22:00 Friday night.
She described the scene as "quite chaotic", adding that some of her colleagues heard a commotion at about 21:00.
"A lot of my colleagues take public transport, take the tram... our security is compromised fundamentally, here in the city centre."
Ashley Birks, twenty-five, resident of Stoke, said he came to Birmingham quite frequently visiting his partner who lives in the city, and was concerned about what had happened.
"It causes concern about my partner," he said.
"She lacks transportation and works at all of the big music venues... considering a totally random act [happened], you know, it's terrible."
