A 23-year-old Zimbabwean man, identified by friends as Saymore, was tragically stabbed to death in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The incident, which occurred around midnight, has left the local Zimbabwean community and West Yorkshire Police deeply concerned, Zimlive has reported.
Initial reports suggest Saymore was attacked inside a ground-floor flat in the Belle Isle area of Leeds. Local media reported that three males were involved in the attack, fleeing the scene after the assault. Paramedics provided emergency treatment at the scene before transporting Saymore to hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead a short time later.
West Yorkshire Police swiftly launched a major investigation into the murder. A search of the area, assisted by the police helicopter, led to the arrest of two males, aged 18 and 16, in the Middleton area shortly after the incident. Initially arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, they were subsequently taken into custody as suspects in the murder investigation.
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle, Senior Investigating Officer for the West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, confirmed the arrests and appealed for public assistance.
“Our investigation remains in its very early stages, and we are still building up a picture of the circumstances in which this young man has been fatally attacked,” DCI Entwistle stated.
“His death, in such a sudden and violent way, is an absolute tragedy and we will be continuing to support his family at what is clearly a very difficult time for them, while working to get them the answers they need.”
He further appealed for witnesses to come forward: “We are keen to hear from anyone with any information that could assist the investigation, particularly anyone who witnessed a disturbance or anything suspicious at or around the address at any point leading up to when the emergency services were called shortly after midnight.
“We are carrying out house-to-house enquiries in the area and would ask that people check their CCTV or doorbell footage for anything that could be relevant, as well as any dashcam footage from anyone who was driving in Winrose Avenue or the surrounding area around the time of the incident.”
DCI Entwistle reassured the community: “We recognise that people in the community will be shocked by what has happened and I want to reassure them that we are treating this incident very seriously and liaising closely with our district policing colleagues who will be maintaining an increased presence in the area.”
Friends described Saymore as a friendly and sociable individual, fluent in Shona, who enjoyed Leeds’ vibrant nightlife. He was a regular in Call Lane, a well-known area in the city centre with numerous bars and clubs, and frequented Exodus, a popular nightspot on the city’s outskirts, favoured by members of the Zimbabwean community in Leeds.
