West Midlands Police
Tributes have been paid to a 12-year-old boy stabbed to death in Birmingham who has been named as Leo Ross by police.
The West Midlands force said he was stabbed in the stomach and found near Scribers Lane in Hall Green at about 15:40 GMT on Tuesday and died in hospital later.
Leo, a pupil at Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy, was a “lively and happy young man” and “had many very good friends”, executive head teacher Diane Henson said.
A 14-year-old boy was earlier arrested on suspicion of murder. Police said the teenager had also been arrested in connection with an unrelated assault on a woman in her 80s on 19 January.
Ms Henson said Leo was “just a lovely and bright member of the school community”.
“We’re supporting the children at school and are opening a book of condolence with the family’s permission,” she added.
The executive head teacher stated the boy had many good friends “who he absolutely adored and they adored him”.
The family said he had been walking a 10-minute route home when the attack happened and described him as “funny, sweet and had not one aggressive bone in his body”.
