Boy, 16, arrested after man stabbed to death inside his flat in Leeds murder

West Yorkshire Police described the 23-year-old man's killing as "an absolute tragedy" as officers continue to investigate the stabbing on Winrose Avenue in the Belle Isle area of Leeds

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was stabbed inside his own flat.

The youth and an 18-year-old man have been detained after a police helicopter led a search for the suspects, who'd allegedly fled from the address in the Belle Isle area of Leeds in the early hours of Tuesday.

The 23-year-old victim was declared dead in hospital after the attack, said to have happened inside his ground-floor home. Both the boy and the 18-year-old, found in the Middleton area of Leeds, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

A scene remains in place at the address in Winrose Avenue to undergo forensic examination, and a further scene is in place on the garden of an address in Sissons Road, Middleton, following the recovery of drugs linked to the arrests.

Detectives from West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are leading the murder investigation. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said: “Our investigation remains in its very early stages, and we are still building up a picture of the circumstances in which this young man has been fatally attacked.

“His death, in such a sudden and violent way, is an absolute tragedy and we will be continuing to support his family at what is clearly a very difficult time for them, while working to get them the answers they need.

“We are keen to hear from anyone with any information that could assist the investigation, particularly anyone who witnessed a disturbance or anything suspicious at or around the address at any point leading up to when the emergency services were called shortly after midnight.

“We are carrying out house-to-house enquiries in the area and would ask that people check their CCTV or doorbell footage for anything that could be relevant, as well as any dashcam footage from anyone who was driving in Winrose Avenue or the surrounding area around the time of the incident.

“We recognise that people in the community will be shocked by what has happened and I want to reassure them that we are treating this incident very seriously and liaising closely with our district policing colleagues who will be maintaining an increased presence in the area.”

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