A 16-year-old boy is in hospital in a serious but stable condition after being attacked with a machete in broad daylight on a residential street in Dudley, West Midlands Police have said.
The teenager was walking near Duncan Edwards Close just before 2pm on Saturday when, according to the force, he was approached by two young men on a moped. The suspects attacked him with a machete, inflicting serious injuries to his chest and face, before fleeing the scene. The victim underwent surgery and remains in hospital, where his condition is described as serious but stable.
Detective Inspector Joe Davenport, from West Midlands Police’s Major Crime Unit, described the assault as “an horrific attack in the middle of the day” that “could easily have resulted in this boy losing his life.” Officers have recovered CCTV and mobile phone footage from the area and are working to trace those responsible.
Police investigation and appeal
Detectives have launched a manhunt for the two suspects, and extra patrols are being conducted in the neighbourhood as enquiries continue. The force is urging anyone with information to come forward. Members of the public can submit details through the West Midlands Police website, by calling 101 and quoting log 2561 of 23 May, or via a dedicated online portal where pictures and videos can be uploaded. Anonymous information can also be passed to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Detective Inspector Davenport said: “We’ve been working tirelessly since then to understand exactly what happened, and who was responsible, and I’d urge anyone with information to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”
The attack comes amid persistently high levels of knife crime in the West Midlands. According to force data, the region records approximately 10 knife crimes every day, with a total of 11,286 offences between November 2020 and October 2023. In the 12 months to March 2024, West Midlands Police recorded 7,000 knife-related offences – a 70% increase from 2016. Hospital admissions for stabbing victims in the region numbered 410 in 2023/24, while weapon possession has reportedly doubled since the pandemic. In 2024, 292 individuals aged 16–17 and 224 aged 10–15 were sentenced for knife crimes in the West Midlands. Birmingham accounts for 55% of all knife crime incidents in the region, followed by Solihull (10.2%), Coventry (9.5%) and Wolverhampton (7.6%).
West Midlands Police have reported a 16% reduction in knife crime in key areas of Birmingham following the introduction of advanced geospatial analysis techniques as part of “Project Guardian,” an initiative established to address serious youth violence that has led to arrests and the seizure of weapons.
Separate London machete murder
The Dudley attack echoes another high-profile machete incident that came before the courts earlier this month. Two 16-year-old boys pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on Friday to the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, who was stabbed around 27 times on a bus in Woolwich, south-east London, on 7 January. The pair also admitted having a knife on Woolwich Church Street.
Kelyan, an aspiring rapper, was attacked as he travelled home on a route 472 bus. Emergency services were called to Woolwich Church Street, near Woolwich Ferry, just before 2.30pm. He had sustained a severed femoral artery and died shortly after medics arrived. In an unusual move, Scotland Yard had issued CCTV images and named two boys as part of a public appeal for information before charges were brought. The two defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years and 10 months. Kelyan’s mother has spoken about the impact of knife crime, saying, “the streets are bleeding.”
West Midlands Police continue to appeal for witnesses to the Dudley attack, asking anyone who saw the two men on a moped in the area around Duncan Edwards Close on Saturday afternoon to get in touch. Information can be provided through the force’s website or by calling 101 quoting log 2561 of 23 May, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
