Eight arrests as Smethwick murder victim named as young father Karl Gallagher

Eight men have been arrested over the murder of 31-year-old Karl Gallagher who was stabbed to death in Smethwick.

Mr Gallagher was killed in front of members of the public at West Cross Shopping Centre on Sunday and was officially named by police as the victim today.

His death was the second of three serious knife incidents in the West Midlands in the space of 30 hours.

Timeline of knife attacks

• Sunday, 2.40pm: Two teenagers injured in Solihull stabbing. One, a 16-year-old boy, is left critical after being knifed in the back. A 19-year-old man is also taken to hospital.

• Sunday, 4.40pm: Karl Gallagher murdered in Smethwick. Mr Gallagher, 31, is pronounced dead at West Cross Shopping Centre after being knifed in front of shoppers. Police and family members urge the public not to share shocking video footage of the attack which is posted online.

• Monday, 6pm: Man knifed at Smethwick petrol station. A man is slashed in the arm on a petrol station forecourt 100 yards away from where Mr Gallagher was killed. Armed police surround and raid a house on nearby St Paul's Road.

Eight men have so far been arrested over Mr Gallagher's death, including two 19-year-olds, a 21-year-old and a 20-year-old who are suspected of murder.

Three men, aged 20, 21 and 22 years old, have been held on suspicion of assisting an offender and a 24-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of obstructing police.

The family of Mr Gallagher, who was from the Smethwick area, have paid tribute to the "proud and loving father".

In a statement they said: "Karl was a very dearly loved son, brother, nephew, cousin and partner. He was also a proud and loving father.

"His friends and family are devastated."

Floral tributes have been tied to a post at the shopping centre metres away from where Mr Gallagher was stabbed.

Interactive map of the area:

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Munro from West Midlands Police confirmed the force has contacted Twitter to ask them to remove a video showing the moment Mr Gallagher was attacked.

In a tribute on Facebook, Jasmine Pinnock urged people to think of Mr Gallagher's family before sharing the shocking footage.

She said: "He was a dad, he was a son, he was a brother, he was a cousin, and to me he was the whole world.

"My whole future has been ripped away as quickly as you have shared that video.

"Karl, I don’t have the words to explain how heartbroken we are, you were my best friend, my soulmate, my happily ever after. My forever and always. Until we meet again. I love you "

An air ambulance landed in a nearby park after Mr Gallagher was stabbed at around 4.40pm but he was pronounced dead at the scene just off Oldbury Road.

Officers raided six properties overnight and are still working to piece together the moments leading up to the attack, examining CCTV and mobile phone footage from the scene.

Mr Gallagher was one of four people stabbed in the West Midlands in the space of 30 hours, with one of the three separate attacks taking place just 100 yards away from the murder scene.

In that incident armed police were called after a man suffered slash wounds to the arm while in Solihull two people were stabbed in the same incident, including a 16-year-old boy who was knifed in the back.

Det Ch Insp Munro, who is overseeing the murder investigation, said: “We have made significant progress over the past 24 hours and are building up a clearer picture of the events of Sunday afternoon.

“We are very much aware that video showing the murder of Karl has been widely shared on Twitter.

"We have contacted them and have asked them to remove it, but to date we know that the footage remains publicly visible.

“I would urge people not to share the footage, and to report it to Twitter whenever they see copies of it.

“It is very distressing for Karl’s family to know that his final moments have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

"It’s also important to remember that proceedings are now active, and that anyone who does share it is potentially committing a criminal offence.”

A post-mortem was due to be held today.

Anyone with information is asked to call West Midlands Police on 101 or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.