Candlelit vigil to mark three years since Birmingham teen stabbed to death
14-year-old Dea-John Reid was killed in a knife attack in 2021
A candlelit vigil is being held three years to the day since a 14-year-old schoolboy was stabbed to death in Birmingham on 31 May 2021.
Dea-John Reid was targeted with racial slurs, and chased by five men and boys through King's Standing before being stabbed in the heart and dying on the street.
The family's spokesperson, Bishop Desmond Jaddoo, said: "31st May 2021 brought shockwaves across the city.
"When his mother arrived, got out of the taxi and saw the blue tent she almost collapsed. She said 'I want to go and hug my baby' and was told she couldn't."
In her impact statement, Dea-John's mother Joan Morris said: "Upon reflection, I will never see Dea-John become a footballer or the dentist that he dreamed off, nor see Dea-John get engaged and married, nor see Dea-John have children, nor his own home or even just simply have a conversation with him face-to face.
"The final act of love, I could show to my son was to ensure he had the send-off which he deserved. Whilst Members of the perpetrator’s family will be able to visit their loved one and eventually see him released back in the community, my only visit to Dea-John, is to a grave in a cemetery."
The family are now campaigning to bring "an end to juries that do not reflect the area" and introduce "a civil rights act to deal with the public racial abuse that Dea-John was subjected to."
Bishop Jaddoo said: "We'll light candles, we'll say prayers and we'll end at 7:45pm - it sounds an odd time but that's when Dea-John lost his life."
All five people involved were found not guilty of joint enterprise murder - but a 15-year-old boy was convicted for manslaughter.
Dea-John's family, friends, politicians police officers and members of the community will join together on College Road at 6:30pm where Dea John was killed.