Bradford city centre in shock after broad daylight stabbing

A 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a 48-year-old man was stabbed in the neck on Ivegate on Thursday afternoon at around 5.30pm.

Businesses, residents and shoppers were in shock yesterday as several streets in the heart of the city centre were blocked off by police tape. 

A 44-year-old man has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. Both were placed into police custody.

A police cordon remained in and around the scene for the majority of Friday as detectives got to work.

City Ward councillors Nazam Azam and Aneela Ahmed feel visitors should not be put off the city centre by this "isolated incident".

Cllr Azam said: "It is truly awful to hear of such an incident anywhere in the district but the fact that it is in the city centre is absolutely concerning.

"Thoughts go out to the injured individual and let's hope he makes a full recovery.

"Police say it is an isolated incident so I urge people to continue visiting the city centre.

"We have every confidence in the police to bring whoever is responsible to justice for this truly atrocious crime."

City Ward councillors Nazam Azam and Aneela Ahmed (Image: Newsquest)

"We are very concerned to hear of the incident that occurred," added Cllr Ahmed.

"This is the first serious incident in the city centre in a long time and we would like to reassure people that the police are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of what happened.

"Our thoughts and prayers remain with the injured party."

Businesses in the area experienced closures across the last two days with the likes of Kirkgate Pharmacy unable to provide prescriptions directly to patients.

Jason Avgousti, owner of Ivegate bar Rabbit Hole, said: "Nothing on Ivegate or Westgate has been able to open since it happened.

The whole of Ivegate was cordoned off

"I'm sorry to see something like this happen in broad daylight, it is really shocking.

"It is just not Bradford where this has happened, people carrying weapons is a nationwide problem."

Matt Broadley, who works for Kirkgate business ECigarette Outlet, witnessed the aftermath of the stabbing.

He said: "I was walking up here (Kirkgate), there was someone on the floor, laying on his back and there was blood everywhere.

Kirkgate too was out of bounds for shoppers

"People were surrounding him. Then that's when the police arrived and an ambulance.

"It looked like he was seriously injured. It's not something you want to see. It's worrisome."

Father-of-four Ian Judson, 62, said: "The world we live in is getting worse.

"You can't go anywhere, all you see in the papers is stabbings and shootings.

"I've got children and it scares me."

Police used a huge cordon

On Friday, an anonymous passer-by said: "The cordon is huge and it's obviously very worrying when you see something like this right in the city centre.

"It's an area with a lot of businesses and the Kirkgate centre, so it will be having an impact on them too."

It has recently been claimed that Bradford has the highest crime rate in Europe and is riskier than war-torn Ukraine - although that study was largely discredited.

Richard Baildon, the head of the neighbourhood policing team in the city centre, was keen to highlight that incidents like this have been rare recently.

He said: "I’m acutely aware that the incident feeds into last week's news article about Bradford being unsafe.

I’m acutely aware that the incident feeds into last weeks news article about BD being unsafe. This is the first serious assault in the city in 6 months

— Richard Baildon (@billybaildon) August 26, 2022

"This is the first serious assault in the city in six months."

Detective Inspector Karl Noglik, of Bradford CID, also reassured the public and asked them to come forward if they have any information.

He added: “This is a truly shocking incident to have happened in broad daylight in the city centre. 

“I would like to reassure the public that this was an isolated incident, and we have made several arrests.  

Police officers guarded the scene for most of Friday

“Local neighbourhood policing patrols have been stepped up in the area to provide reassurance to businesses and the public. 

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity of Ivegate and Kirkgate around 5.30pm who may have seen the assault to come forward.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bradford CID via 101 or the live chat options at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/contactus quoting crime reference 13220469570