Walsall residents reassured after fatal stabbing

Communities in Walsall are being reassured after a fatal stabbing in the early hours of Saturday morning outside a night club.

More patrols and neighbourhood officers will be out in the area whilst a murder inquiry is underway.

Akeem Francis-Kerr, 29, was murdered at Valesha's, also known locally as the Colliseum, on Newport Street.

Tributes have been growing outside the nightclub with people leaving flowers, candles and balloons.

The 29 year-old's family released a statement through the police and said: "The universe has lost one of the greatest of men and his unmatched energy, mindset and love will forever live on."

His devastated family are being supported by specialist officers who are keeping them updated.

As of publication no arrests have been made in connection with his death.

Officers are speaking to witnesses and reviewing CCTV footage from around the area.

Detective Inspector Ade George, leading the investigation, said: "Our thoughts are with Akeem’s family and friends as they come to terms with this terrible loss.

"We continue to urge people to come forward with information, a man has died and his family have the right to know what happened to him."

Intelligence-led stop and searches in the past year have resulted in officers seizing 36 knives off the streets and we've been using dispersal orders as well as stop and search powers to keep the public safer.

In the year 2022-2023, serious youth violence is down 3.5 per cent in Walsall and serious youth violence involving a knife is down 14 per cent.But we know there's always more to be done.

And from the beginning of April, more force resources will be brought under the command of Walsall's Chief Supt Phil Dolby and his leadership team, to focus even more on local communities and their safety.

There will be an increase in the number of high-visibility patrols covering the night-time economy in Walsall town centre.