Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury murder: Fourth arrest made after 16-year-old stabbed to death

A fourth arrest has been made after teenager Michael Warham was stabbed to death in Shrewsbury.

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The 16-year-old of Bootle, Liverpool, died on August 4 at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital after the incident in Meole Brace on August 1.

He was found collapsed in the road at Wayford Close at 9.40pm with a stab wound to the chest and was rushed to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

But he failed to recover from his injuries and died days later.

Police patrolling the area of Meole Brace

Three people were initially arrested within hours of the attack and were bailed by police.

Now a fourth person has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "There have now been four arrests in relation to this enquiry.

"An 18-year-old from Liverpool has now been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. He has been released on police bail.

"A 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old man, both from Liverpool, were arrested on suspicion of murder. They were also released on police bail. A 19-year-old woman from Shrewsbury was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and was also released on bail."

West Mercia Police are still appealing for information about the attack and are unsure why Michael was in Shrewsbury.

However, they do believe he was specifically targeted rather than being the victim of a random attack. Police carried out door to door enquiries and also deployed a mobile police station to the area to carry out their investigation and to allay residents' fears.

The investigation has been focused on three areas of Shrewsbury.

The first area is the Stapleton Road/Wayford Close area of Meole Brace.

Officers are also looking for information from people in the area of McDonald's in Meole Brace at about 10pm on the day of the attack.

Police are also investigating a third line of enquiry relating to a group of three or four white men in their late teens, early 20s seen at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at about 11pm that evening.

The men are believed to have been wearing hooded jumpers and tracksuit bottoms.

It was revealed last week that Michael was expecting a baby with his girlfriend Nikita.

An inquest in to his death will open tomorrow at Shrewsbury's Shirehall before Mr John Ellery, coroner for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident number quoting the incident reference 775s of August 1 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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