Liverpool city centre shut down after triple stabbing - police appeal for witnesses

A man has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after being stabbed in the chest during a 'large-scale disturbance' in Liverpool city centre. The 21-year-old was found at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel, near to McDonald's, by a police patrol at around 5.30am on Wednesday morning.

Two other men also suffered knife wounds following what witnesses described as a 'mass brawl' involving two groups of males who left The Safehouse nightclub on Victoria Street and entered Peter Street. One of the men, in his 20s, was stabbed in the back and the second, also in his 20s, had a laceration to the head. Both took themselves to hospital.

A large cordon was put in place in Liverpool city centre and a number of roads were cordoned off as CCTV and witness enquiries were carried out by Merseyside Police. A mobile police station is currently in place in Lord Street.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said: “We know that there were vehicles and pedestrians in the area of Peter Street who may have witnessed the disturbance and we would appeal to anyone who was in the area to come forward.

“I would ask taxi and delivery drivers to check their dashcams to see if they captured anything significant and members of the public to come forward if they captured any photographs or video footage on their mobile phones.

“Knife crime has no place on the streets of Merseyside and we are committed to finding the people who choose to carry knives. We need the public to speak to their family and friends and make it socially unacceptable for them to even think of carrying weapons.

“While people may be concerned when they hear of incidents such a this I want to reiterate that Merseyside has seen a 22% decrease in knife crime in 2022-2023 compared to the previous year, the second highest reduction of any county nationally and the force remains determined to further reduce knife crime and the devastating impact it has on individuals, families, and the wider community.

“We aim to do this through working with partners, educating people and using robust policing methods including dispersal zones, stop searches and Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVRO).”