Police have arrested a second teenager on suspicion of the murder of 15-year-old Zane Smart in Wolverhampton. Following enquiries, police detained the 16-year-old boy from an address in the city earlier this morning (Tuesday 31 May). He has been taken into custody and will be questioned over the fatal stabbing as part of a joint enterprise.
Police have already charged another 16-year-old in connection with the killing of Zane in Pendeford on Friday afternoon (27 May). The boy – who legally can’t be named due to his age – appeared before Wolverhampton Magistrates Court today. He was remanded into custody for a hearing at the city’s Crown Court tomorrow. “A 46-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Zane was found with serious stab injuries near the canal bridge on Reapers Walks and tragically died. Today, a huge police presence remains at the scene of the alleged murder. Police vans were seen lining nearby Cornfield, while a vast cordon is in place across both sides of the Shropshire Main Canal.
The cordon has shut parts of Reapers Walk, while Way Side is also blocked between Reapers Walk and Deer Walk. It also stretches across parkland between Tebworth Close and Howland Close, which leads to the canal bridge on Reapers Walk.
Police said they know he was part of a group of a people standing outside Pendeford Fish Bar, The Haymarket, at about 3.40pm and still need to identify and speak to everyone who was there. It could help us establish exactly what happened.
Police said they are also aware that a video showing some of the incident was posted on Snapchat. This is vital to our investigation and we’re asking anyone with a copy of it to send it in, or let us know which accounts it was shared by.
At around 10.30am on Saturday, canal boats were being told to turn around as they couldn’t pass through the investigation area.
One canal boat owner said they had been told a water search is set to take place.
Kaine Zajaz, 24, was walking with his child in the area, and reflected on what the violence might say about wider society.
He said: “What I’m aware of is it’s to do with school kids.
“My mate said he walked past and saw a bunch of kids there.
“For me I don’t feel threatened, but it’s a shame for the kids.
His family has been left heartbroken and devastated with grief at the loss of Zane who was “much loved by us all”. They said:
“Words cannot describe the unbearable loss we feel as Zane’s family. He was a brother, a son, a grandson, a nephew who was loved deeply. The world keeps turning but for us it has stopped still, we are held in a nightmare from the moment he lost his life to yet more knife crime.
“We want him to be remembered as the funny, loving boy he truly was, with an infectious dimpled smile that lit up any room. Zane you are the kindest soul, and we love you deeply. We will never stop loving you and being in your corner, our boy.
“As a family we urge anyone who saw or heard anything, if you have Snapchats or videos, send them anonymously to the police, please help us make sure another life is not lost. Your help now could perhaps protect your own loved ones but will certainly bring justice to our boy.”
