Several people were injured in a stabbing incident outside a primary school and a church in Birmingham on Tuesday, prompting a major armed police response and the deployment of an air ambulance.
Police were called to Bridge Road in the Alum Rock area shortly after 12:06 p.m. following reports that a man had been seriously injured. Officers arriving at the scene found a victim in the street outside Our Lady of the Rosary and St Therese of Lisieux Church, where CPR was administered.
Rosary Catholic Primary School was placed into lockdown as emergency services cordoned off the area.
Firearms officers were deployed as part of the police response. A 32-year-old man was arrested in connection with the stabbing and remains in custody. A woman also sustained injuries, though these are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes. One reported seeing a woman with bloodied hands screaming from an upstairs window, while another claimed a passerby attempted to run the suspect over as he repeatedly stabbed at his victim.
Further accounts suggested the suspect fled into a residential building, with some witnesses alleging that gunshots were heard inside. Video footage circulating online shows armed officers entering a block of flats and large numbers of emergency vehicles stationed behind a police cordon.
Detective Superintendent James Munro of West Midlands Police said the situation was contained. “We believe this to be a contained incident with a man in custody,” he said. “We are reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to a number of people in the area, but would appeal to anyone who has any information to get in touch. We understand how deeply distressing and concerning this incident is, and we will have extra officers in the area to offer reassurance to the community.”
Police have not yet released details about the suspect’s background or motive.
The incident adds to growing pressure on the government over violent crime and deportation policy. Earlier this week, a separate stabbing in Edinburgh—allegedly carried out by a Somali migrant—sparked renewed criticism of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which is routinely used to block deportations. Tory MP Neil O’Brien argued that until Britain leaves the ECHR and is able to deport foreign offenders more easily, public safety will remain at risk.
Labour prime minister Keir Starmer has dismissed calls to leave the ECHR, maintaining that Britain can control borders without altering its international commitments—a position opponents say is increasingly detached from public concern.
