Heroes awarded after battling to save Walsall stab victim Reagan Asbury
Heroes who battled to save the life of a boxing fan after he was wounded during a violent brawl have been awarded.
Two police officers and a bar worker fought to save Reagan Asbury’s life after he was fatally stabbed at Walsall Town Hall in October 2017.
The keen footballer was killed by a single wound to the neck, which was 7cm deep and had almost severed his jugular vein.
Pc Thomas Rust, Wolverhampton bar worker Keanne Smith and another officer – who cannot be named – will now receive Royal Humane Society Certificates of Commendation awards for their efforts to save the 19-year-old.
Andrew Chapman, secretary of the Royal Humane society, said: “What happened was horrific. It was yet another example of knife crime. On top of that other people who were at the scene ignored the victim as he lay on the ground.
“Thankfully Mr Smith went to his aid and he and the police then fought to keep him alive until emergency services arrived to take over. They did all that was humanly possible to save him. Sadly he died in hospital, but no-one could have done more. They were the heroes of an awful incident.”
The trio, who were awarded Royal Humane Society Certificates of Commendation, have been praised for doing all they could to save the 19-year-old stab victim.
The incident occurred after a near-600-strong crowd gathered at the town hall for the IBF Lightweight fight between Derby-based Myron Mills and Walsall fighter Luke Paddock in October 2017.
Violence soon flared as fans awaited the result of the fight, with tables turned over, chairs hurled across the venue and glasses thrown.
A trial at Birmingham Crown Court saw chilling footage of killer Tyrone Andrew creeping up behind his victim “like an animal stalking prey” before knifing him in the neck.
Mr Smith, of Reynolds Walk, Wolverhampton, discovered Mr Asbury lying in the arena area as others looked on.
The 27-year-old took off his shirt to try and curb the heavy bleeding and maintain pressure on the stab wound.
Pc Rust arrived to find Mr Smith drenched in blood and joined the battle to save Mr Asbury, spending 50 minutes applying pressure to the wound.
The second officer began removing troublemakers before assisting the medical team with the victim.
Former Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy pupil Mr Asbury died several hours after arriving at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Andrew, of St Helens Street, Derby, was cleared of murder but convicted of the manslaughter and was jailed for 14 years.
