Keon Lincoln: Police arrest 21-year-old man and boy, 15, over death of teenager
Keon, a 15-year-old schoolboy, died after being stabbed and shot in the Handsworth area of Birmingham on 21 January.
Thursday 28 January 2021 18:54, UK
A 21-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy have been arrested over the death of teenager Keon Lincoln in Birmingham.
Keon, 15, died after being shot and stabbed in Linwood Road, Handsworth, on 21 January.
Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas said the 21-year-old was arrested in relation to conspiracy to commit murder on Thursday. The 15-year-old was arrested later.
Five other suspects aged between 14 and 16 have been released on bail and are under investigation.
The arrests come on the same day Keon's mother Sharmaine and twin sister Kiarah led a vigil at the scene of the crime.
Dozens gathered as people laid flowers and family friend and pastor Neville Popo urged the community to come together in light of Keon's death.
Describing it as "heartbreaking", he told crowds: "Life is not about this. We shouldn't be standing here now but we're here and we're supporting Sharmaine in the best way possible.
"I am saying to all young men, don't look at this as an opportunity to pay vengeance upon this life.
"Let's respect life and let's let things be done in the way that it should be done - that the culprits will be brought to justice and that we can live our lives without fear."
DCI Orencas also reporters on Thursday: "This is a really fast-moving inquiry.
"We are dealing with a real volume of information but it is gathering a real pace, and I'm very pleased and very proud of the engagement from the community."
Asked if detectives had established a motive for Keon's murder, Mr Orencas said: "We remain open-minded. Any effective investigation will take exactly that stance until the evidence leads you down into a position where you can say why you think something happened.
"The amount of scrutiny that I am putting into this investigation ... I am satisfied that everyone is doing their bit 100% to get justice for Keon.
"Let's not forget that's exactly what this is about. There's a 15-year-old boy in a mortuary, who has been murdered just behind me here.
"That's an absolutely outrageous position for this community to find themselves in."
Keon's mother said her "heart has been ripped out" as she made an emotional plea for help in finding her son's killers earlier this week.
She described Keon's death as "every parent's worst nightmare" and said it "doesn't make sense".
She also said she heard the gunshots that killed her son.