Two separate but equally horrific incidents involving teenage violence have gripped the UK, prompting murder investigations and a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding these tragic events. In Manchester, detectives are investigating the murder of a 15-year-old boy in Moss Side, while a separate inquiry in Liverpool is scrutinizing the actions of Axel Rudakubana, then 17, who carried out a deadly attack in Southport.

In Manchester, emergency services were called to Moss Lane East in Moss Side on Monday, September 15th, just after 4:30 PM, following reports of a disturbance. A 15-year-old boy, whose name has not been released, was found with multiple stab wounds and tragically died later in hospital. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed the arrest of another 15-year-old boy overnight on suspicion of murder, who remains in police custody for questioning. The force has established an online portal for information and is appealing for anyone with CCTV, mobile phone, or dash-cam footage to come forward.

Detectives have also issued a strong plea to the public not to share a video circulating on social media that appears to show the lead-up to the incident, involving a large group of children in a mass brawl. GMP emphasized that sharing such footage could severely impact the victim's family and compromise any future prosecution. Bouquets of flowers have been left at the scene in tribute to the young victim, and police patrols in the area have been significantly increased, with enhanced stop and search powers authorized for 24 hours to address community concerns.

Meanwhile, an inquiry is underway in Liverpool into the July 29, 2024, attack by Axel Rudakubana, then 17, in Southport. Rudakubana murdered three young girls—Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine—and attempted to murder eight other children and two adults. The inquiry, being held at Liverpool town hall, is exploring the circumstances and events that led to these crimes. Nicholas Moss KC, counsel to the inquiry, highlighted that the attack was “extremely cowardly” and specifically targeted women and girls, noting that aside from one injured man, all other victims were female.

A significant focus of the inquiry is Rudakubana's extensive internet use. Described as a “prolific internet user,” evidence revealed that just 40 minutes before his attack, Rudakubana used a tablet to search on X (formerly Twitter) for a knife attack by a teenage boy on a bishop in Australia. This search likely led him to footage showing the actual act of stabbing. Moss described this discovery as “sobering and concerning” in terms of online harms, especially as Rudakubana had deleted his browsing history on his laptop prior to the crimes. The inquiry has requested statements from X about the availability of such graphic content to a 17-year-old, and from Meta (which owns Instagram) regarding Rudakubana’s platform use.

The inquiry is also examining Rudakubana’s purchase of weapons online, where he posed as an adult and used a false name to acquire knives, crossbows, and machetes. He also bought seeds from Amazon to make a “crude preparation of ricin.” These revelations aim to highlight vulnerabilities in laws surrounding weapon purchases. Furthermore, the inquiry will explore Rudakubana’s interactions with various state systems, including criminal justice, education, social care, and healthcare, and seek detailed statements from his parents regarding their awareness of his online orders and the items stored in their home. The chair of the inquiry, Sir Adrian Fulford, has pledged to answer the questions of bereaved families and victims, who have already provided harrowing testimony.