Exclusive
MACHETE ‘MURDER’
Chilling moment man runs for his life before he is hacked to death by savage machete gang in horrifying attack
CHILLING footage shows a man running for his life just seconds before he was hacked to death by a violent machete-wielding gang.
Bailey Atkinson, 20, was set upon near an Asda in Walsall, West Midlands, in the early hours of Saturday.
6
6
In the moments leading up to the "targeted and vicious" attack, he can be seen hurriedly trying to get away from the thugs.
CCTV shows him sprinting across a deserted road while being chased by two speeding cars.
He then appears on the pavement and is subjected to horrific violence by a group of masked men brandishing knives.
They flee the scene at 1.42am, leaving Bailey lying on the ground.
READ MORE UK NEWS
He was rushed to hospital but died 90 minutes later.
His heartbroken family said in a statement: "Our kind-hearted and much-loved son, brother and grandson.
"Bailey was so loved, by so many and will be missed so much.”
Det Insp Laura Harrison of West Midlands Police said the ambush appeared to be "targeted and vicious" and involved "a group of men carrying weapons".
Most read in The Sun
She added: "We’re supporting the victim’s family at this awful time, and are working hard to identify those responsible.
"We’ve already recovered CCTV and continue to work at the scene today."
A spokesperson today said enquiries were ongoing.
Flowers have since been placed at the scene, which is in the town centre.
Cops are appealing for anyone with information, dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV footage to come forward quoting log 225 of January 28.
The leader of Walsall Council today said the market town's streets had become lawless and dangerous to be on after dark.
Mike Bird told : "Gangs are, and have been for some time in Walsall, lawless and as a result we have to liaise with the police to find out what we can do to make the streets safer.
"It's something that has been festering for the last two or three years and rescuing our streets back from these individuals is extremely difficult.
"One issue is the night-time economy in Walsall is a dangerous place to be. It happens in other parts of the country.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"Sometimes I go into the town centre and it smells like Amsterdam."
"Police have got a difficult job to do when you've got people of this calibre who are prepared to kill."
6
6
6
6
Topics