Police ask Somali residents for help as teenager killed in Bristol

POLICE have warned that they will be carrying out more "stop and searches" in Easton as they continue the hunt for the knifeman who killed an 18-year-old.

Abdirisak Mohamoud of Fishponds died from a single stab wound in Stapleton Road last Thursday night.

Seven men arrested in connection with the incident have been released on police bail. One man has been released without charge.

Last night more than 150 people, mainly from the Somali community, attended a meeting at Trinity Centre at which the police outlined the steps they were taking to bring the killer or killers to justice

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones, who is leading the investigation, appealed to Somalis for help.

He said: "There were a number of people who were in the vicinity of Stapleton Road and Villiers Road Easton, Bristol, prior to, during and after the incident.

"I am appealing for these people to come forward.

"I would once again appeal for calm within the community and I continue to seek their support in bringing to justice the person or persons responsible for this tragic death."

Superintendent Julian Moss urged people at the meeting to have the confidence and trust to provide information.

He said: "At such times of heightened emotion, tensions can run high. This is a time when the whole community needs to come together and use its influence to prevent people taking the law into their own hands."

This was echoed by Easton Lib Dem councillor John Kiely who said: "This is very important. Two wrongs don't make a right."

Mr Kiely called for a review of policing in Stapleton Road, which he said had become a "containment area" where some criminal behaviour went unchallenged.

"We must tackle this once and for all. We can't have another wasted life and another needless death," he said.

But one young woman questioned how police could stop a retaliation attack when many young Somalis did not trust the police.

Superintendent Moss said officers had stepped up patrols in the area since the incident on Thursday night but were keen to strike a balance between allowing the community space to grieve and providing reassurance and preventing further incidents.

Sergeant Andy Welton said additional "stop and searches" would be carried out, which were likely to involve young Somalis who were not carrying weapons, but that this was necessary to try to drive out knives and guns.

Officers stressed that the searches would observe strict guidelines.

A shopkeeper who has had a business on Stapleton Road for 10 years was applauded when he told how drug dealing went on openly on the street and the police filled in forms but did not act.

He said many people felt the neighbourhood was ignored because it was mainly immigrants.

Community activist Nura Aabe said it should not take a tragedy to bring about work to prevent crimes.

Superintendent Moss said there had been 25 convictions of drug dealers thanks to a recent operation and Sergeant Welton said Easton had had more crack house closures than anywhere else in the South West.

Superintendent Moss paid tribute to the Somali people, who, he said, were proud, talented and resourceful.

"I think it says an awful lot about the local community here that we have so many people in this room who have come to ask questions, show respect and to look at how we can work together to resolve problems, " he said.