Several people were injured in a number of stabbings reported in the city of Birmingham in the UK after midnight on Saturday (September 5), in what the police are calling a “major incident”.
The West Midlands police said at about 12:30 am (UK time) on Sunday (September 6), they were called to reports about a stabbing in the Birmingham city centre.
“We immediately attended, along with colleagues from the ambulance service. A number of other stabbings were reported in the area shortly after,” the police said in a statement.
The police said a number of people have been injured in the stabbings. “But, at the moment, we are not in a position to say how many or how serious,” the police said.
They said the stabbings have been declared a “major incident”.
The police declare a crime as a “major incident” when people have been seriously injured or there is a big threat to the general public. The declaration also ensures better coordination among emergency services.
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All emergency services are working together at the scene and making sure that those who are injured receive medical care, the police said.
“Work is still going on to establish what has happened, and could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything. At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident,” the police said in the statement.
The police have cordoned off the area near Hurst Street, which is a popular centre for nightlife in the city centre.
Officials said many people were eating and drinking at tables set outdoors on Saturday evening, although the streets in the area had been closed to traffic as part of the COVID restrictions.