Neighbours on a quiet north Manchester estate have spoken of their shock after a man was confirmed dead and a murder investigation launched on their street. Greater Manchester Police said they were called to reports of a disturbance in the early hours of Saturday morning (August 15) on Berwyn Avenue in Blackley.
Man dies after stabbing
Officers found a 36-year-old man at a flat in a residential block with injuries consistent with a stabbing, who was taken to hospital for treatment. In an update on Monday (August 17) the force said he had sadly died of his injuries. A single police car remained at the scene on Monday with an officer standing watch outside the block of flats.
A 29-year-old woman, who was initially arrested on suspicion of wounding and assaulting a police officer, has since been further detained on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody, with GMP's Major Incident Team leading the incident.
Neighbours' shock
Local residents said they did not hear anything in the early hours of Saturday morning until the police arrived. "I sleep in the front room and there was so much traffic on the street, I thought, that's unusual for two in the morning," one woman told the M.E.N. "I put my head out the window and the street was absolutely swarmed with police."
She said she believed the occupants of the flat were new to the area and had moved in recently, so were not known locally. Another neighbour said she had been 'out for the count' and only knew of the incident when she saw the police scene. "They are definitely new to the area, I couldn't tell you what they looked like," she said. "I have lived here for nearly 40 years and never known anything like this to happen."
A third neighbour said she too had slept through it all. "I woke up to loads of missed calls from my mum worrying," she said. "The police went away but then they came back. It must be because he passed away."
Police statement
DI Terina Arthern from GMP's North Manchester District said: "I would like to express my sincere condolences to the victim in this case, we have informed his next-of-kin, and our thoughts remain with his family and friends following this tragic incident. Our investigation has been moving at pace since the weekend to establish the facts, and we have a woman in custody who is being questioned by our officers. It is believed that the suspect and the victim were known to each other and I would like to reassure people who live and work in Blackley that this is an isolated incident, with no threat to the wider community."
Sixth murder probe in 13 days
This latest case is now the sixth murder probe in 13 days across Greater Manchester - with a 24-year-old man stabbed to death in a park in Levenshulme on Saturday night (August 15). The man died at the scene of the stabbing on Chapel Street around 7pm with pictures showing a forensics tent being erected with the park. The scene remained in place until Sunday.
A GMP spokesperson said in an update that the 27-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has since been bailed pending further enquiries. Police believe the attack was 'isolated' with 'no wider threat to the public'.
Prior to this weekend, four deaths - in neighbourhoods in Bolton, Tameside, Rochdale and Salford - are subject to murder investigations. Two women, 39 and 61, and two men, one in his 30s and one 31-years-old, died in the incidents. There is no suggestion any of the cases are linked.
Emma McGowan, 39, was found unresponsive at a property in Breightmet in Bolton in the early hours of August 4. Police attended at around 3am on Yewdale Avenue, where Ms McGowan was pronounced dead at the scene. Joseph Webb, 36, of Yewdale Avenue, has been charged with murder.
Later on August 4, Greater Manchester Police officers were called to a property on Winterford Road in Mossley. A woman was sadly found dead at the scene. She was later named as 61-year-old Julie Loco. A 60-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains on bail.
Nathan Haigh, 31, was found unresponsive at a flat on Great Howarth at around 7.30pm on Tuesday (August 11). He was pronounced dead shortly after despite the best efforts of paramedics, GMP said. A 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder.
GMP officers were called to reports of a disturbance at a flat on Kempster Gardens in Broughton in the early hours of Wednesday (August 12). A man in his 30s was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not yet been named. Another man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of murder.
