Tributes paid to ‘loving, mischievous, adventurous’ boy stabbed in Leeds
Tributes have been paid to a “loving, mischievous and adventurous” 15-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed near a school in Leeds.
The teenager, named locally as Alfie Lewis, was attacked in the Horsforth area of the city on Tuesday afternoon as children were leaving two nearby schools.
About 50 young people gathered for a candlelit vigil on Tuesday night, about half a mile from where the incident took place.
A teenage boy has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in custody, West Yorkshire police said.
Alfie has not been named formally but he was widely identified by people who paid tribute to him. A fundraising page launched by the father of one of Alfie’s friends described the teenager as “a kind and thoughtful boy who had all of his friend’s best interests at heart”.
It said: “On behalf of the family of Alfie Lewis, whose life was tragically and senselessly taken today at the age of only 15; we are trying to raise enough money to support his family and teenage friends through everything they now have to face, much too soon.
“Alfie was a kind and thoughtful boy who had all of his friend’s best interests at heart.
“He was loving, mischievous, adventurous and, as such, extremely popular. He was everything a 15-year-old child should be and his life was senselessly taken from him before he had the chance to grow into it.”
The page added: “His loss is felt deeply by the whole of Horsforth. A lovely, kind, funny, mischievous, brave and generous young boy lost his life tragically and his family, friends, and all who knew him, would love to give him the funeral and tribute he deserves. Please help us show Alfie that Horsforth still loves and will forever miss him.”
On Wednesday morning, people began bringing flowers to the scene at the junction of Church Road and Church Lane, which remained cordoned off. The incident happened in an area near to Horsforth school and St Margaret’s primary school.
The senior investigating officer DCI Stacey Atkinson said: “Our investigation is at an early stage and we are carrying out extensive inquiries to establish exactly what led to this needless loss of a young man’s life.
“We understand the immense impact and huge shock a tragic incident of this nature will have on the community locally.”
Atkinson urged anyone with information about the incident to contact West Yorkshire police on 101.
A parent at the school, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s horrible. It’s shocking because it’s a nice area. You read about these things happening in London and you think it’s dangerous to be a teenager there, but you don’t think it would happen here.
“I just keep thinking about the parents. He probably went out this morning and they were expecting him to come home, and he’s not there.”
A person who did not want to be named was picking her grandchild up from school when she saw the police cars and ambulance. She told the PA news agency: “I thought it was a car crash at first. The school was very good, they messaged us to say they were keeping the children safe inside.
“I was very sad when I heard what had happened, it sounds like it’s a waste of two lives.”