Family of stabbing victim vow he will not be another knife crime statistic

The family of a 15-year-old boy who died from stab wounds are determined he will not become just “another statistic in the rise of knife crime”.

Mohanad Abdullaahi Goobe died in Manchester on Monday afternoon.

Greater Manchester Police said another 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning.

In a statement, his family said: “Mohanad’s life has been cut tragically short, it is difficult to comprehend that seeing your son head off for school in the morning, would be the last time that we would see that handsome face.

“Mohanad deserves to be remembered for the young man who was loved by his family, and loved big in return, not as the boy whose life was taken with no thought or reason.

“We will not allow his name to be known as yet another statistic in the rise of knife crime.”

His family remembered Mohanad, the youngest of three siblings, as “quick to laugh, easy to love, with a ready smile”.

“Our son had an uncanny ability to make you laugh, making it sometimes difficult to be serious with him,” they said.

“Mohanad had many friends, he was loyal and often played the class clown, simply to see them laugh.”

Officers were called to reports of a disturbance near Moss Lane East and Monton Street at around 4.30pm on Monday, police said.

They have appealed for witnesses and urged anyone with dashcam, CCTV or mobile phone footage to come forward, but asked that it not be shared on social media.

His family are being supported by specialist officers and enquiries are continuing, police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Davis, from the force’s major incident team, confirmed additional officers were in the area as part of a wider response to the incident.

“We know just how shocking this incident has been for the whole community and we are working hard to establish the full circumstances behind it,” he said.

“We have a teenage boy in custody and are exploring multiple lines of enquiry, but are asking for anyone with any information to please come forward.

“Any information you have could greatly assist our investigation, and I would urge the public to share it with us.”