Trees planted in memory of murdered Bristol boys
Mason Rist and Max Dixon lost their lives just over one year ago in Knowle West
Two English Oak trees have been planted in the Knowle West area of Bristol today (Friday 31st January) in memory of the murdered boys Mason Rist (15) and Max Dixon (16), who were fatally stabbed outside Mason's home last year.
A special planting ceremony was held outside St Barnabus Church on Daventry Road this afternoon, led by Reverend Clive Hamilton. It's hoped the trees will secure the legacy of the boys for generations to come.
Speaking exclusively to Greatest Hits Radio at the ceremony, Mason's sister Chloe Rist said she felt "overwhelmed" by the occasion.
She said: "All the support and the fact everyone has come together is really nice.
"We've got two trees now in memory of Mason and Max that will live on for years and years and I think a lot of people can learn from them.
"Its a legacy that is going to be forever and that just warms my heart and gives me hope for the future that people will see this as a reminder to do good things and make good choices."
Max's sister Kayleigh Dixon said: "It's a really nice feeling to know that he won't be forgotten.
"It's a place for me to come to grieve. It's sad really because we shouldn't be here, we shouldn't be doing any of this, but it's nice to know that the community cares and he won't be forgotten."
Shanine Wright also attended to show solidarity with Max and Mason's families.
Shanine's brother Darrian Williams was also killed last year in a separate stabbing, when he was attacked by two boys inside Easton's Rawnsley Park on Valentines Day.
What happened to Max and Mason?
On the night of Saturday 27th January last year the boys, who were best friends, had been playing Playstation together from their respective houses.
Shortly before 11pm Max left his home and walked to Mason's on Illminster Avenue, with the plan of getting some food together.
As they both left Mason's a car passed by carrying a group of boys from Hartcliffe, who were on the look out for people they thought were responsible for throwing bricks at a house in Hartcliffe earlier that day.
Mistakenly believing Max and Mason were responsible they jumped out armed with huge knives and fatally stabbed both boys, in the space of little more than 30 seconds. In reality both boys were entirely innocent.
All of those who were in the car, the driver Antony Snook (45), Riley Tolliver (18), Kodishai Wescott (17) and two others we cannot name are now serving life sentences for both murders.
The state of knife crime
Today's planting comes as the latest knife crime figures show the number of incidents across England and Wales were up last year, compared to the year before.
Some 55,008 offences were recorded by forces in England and Wales in the 12 months to September 2024.
This is up 4 per cent from 52,969 offences in the previous 12 months and is almost level with the 55,170 offences in the pre-Covid year ending March 2020.
The Avon and Somerset area saw one of the largest increases in incidents last year, up 22.6 per cent. Only the British Transport Police and Dyfed-Powys area in Wales saw larger increases.
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