Community heartbroken at loss of one of their own

The stream of crying children coming into Vinnie Kaur's florist shop in Hall Green, Birmingham, this week has almost been too much to bear.

"A few people have said you must be making good money on the flowers," she said.

"I don't want to make money like that."

It is five days since Ms Kaur heard sirens outside White Lotus Flowers and rushed outside to see police and schoolchildren in nearby Scribers Lane.

Leo Ross, 12, had been stabbed in the stomach as he walked home from Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy at 15:40 GMT on Tuesday.

Within hours of a police appeal urgently seeking witnesses and video footage, it was confirmed Leo had died and a 14-year-old had been arrested on suspicion of murder.

He is thought to be the youngest victim of knife crime in the West Midlands.

The attack is believed to have taken place near the railway bridge, next to Trittiford Mill Park.

Dozens of floral tributes and balloons have been left there, along with emotional tributes from his classmates.

"He was never a trouble," Ms Kaur said of Leo, one of many children who walked past her shop most days.

"Such an innocent face. I've never seen [him] making any noise or hanging around."

She said for many in the area, it was like they had lost one of their own.

"I've never seen anything like that," she said, seeing how the community seemed more united.

"Maybe he was such an angel soul, that's why everybody's coming together."

Hall Green is an affluent part of Birmingham, halfway between the city centre and Solihull.

Many families are attracted to the good primary and secondary schools in the area.

That Leo was killed as he walked home from his, has shocked the entire community.

Laura, who works at Billsedge Cafe on Highfield Road, said she had not sent her 12-year-old son to school, the day after it happened.

"I won't let him out anywhere, even before this happened, I won't let him out round here. I just don't feel like it's a safe enough place," she said.

"It's just not a safe area… I would like to move out of Birmingham to be honest."

She had had previous conversations with her son about knife crime in the city and even searched his bag.

"It's something that I've drilled into them [the children] since they were young," she said. "He's well aware of knife crime.

"I think it needs to be done more in schools. I think they should have some sort of metal detectors, maybe, as you go into the schools.

"Parents need to be checking their kids bags and blazers."

Leo was a "lively and happy young man," and "adored by his friends," his current head teacher said.

It is not long since he left Chilcote Primary School, just around the corner from where he was attacked.

In a letter to parents and carers, Chilcote's head teacher said she had spoken to all children in years three to six, offering the support of their trusted adult, should it be needed.

"I understand that this is extremely worrying news for our community but all the more devastating for the family of the victim who are, and will continue to be, in our thoughts," she said.

Primary pupils old enough to enjoy the independence of walking home might want to be collected by adults or older siblings if they were anxious, the letter added.

A vigil is planned for Hall Green on Sunday and at a later date, a permanent memorial.

But what many people want here - and across Birmingham - are answers and solutions.

Saranya Rajgru, who works in a convenience store on Priory Road, is new to Hall Green.

She is used to the excited chatter of Christ Church pupils bursting in to get sweets after school.

But the atmosphere has changed somewhat this week.

"Everyone looks so scared," she said.

"This is the area in which we have lots of schools. We need to think about mental health.

"Schools [and] everyone need to make students aware of not using these sharp objects."

Near Leo's secondary school, on Ravenshill Road, a colourful mural has been spray-painted on a fence, standing out among rows of houses.

It reads: "Rest in peace Leo. Drop a knife, save a life."

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