MURDER ENQUIRY LAUNCHED AFTER 24 YEAR OLD MAN DIES FROM HEAD INJURIES
DETECTIVES from West Midlands Police have launched a murder enquiry after a 24 year old man from Birmingham died after being stabbed with a screwdriver.
Sarfraz Khan died from serious head injuries on Tuesday 16 March 2010 in hospital where he had been since the incident on Friday 12 March in Long Street, Sparkbrook.
The assault happened between 1030 pm and 1130 pm on Friday 12 March in Larches Green play area on Long Street, Sparkbrook, Birmingham.
Sarfraz, who was born on 26 June 1985 was from the Hodge Hill area of Birmingham and had lived in Birmingham all of his life. He lived with his family and had three sisters and one brother and is described by family as a good hearted, very bubbly person and always smiling.
He worked with his father in the family business.
A major investigation was immediately launched under the direction of Senior Investigating Officer DCI Richard Baker from the Major Investigation Unit.
DCI Rich Baker:
“Sarfraz was in Long St, Sparkbrook at around 1130 pm to visit a friend in the area.
“He went into the park where there were a group of teenagers sitting on the play area. There appears to have been an exchange between Sarfraz and some of the girls in the group, which turned into an argument and two male youths from the group have joined in.
“At some point a screwdriver was produced by one of the males and Sarfraz was stabbed in the temple.
“The offender has then ran off and was last seen turning into Beechfield Road in Sparkbrook.
“There was up to about 8 teenagers in the park that night who we need to speak to urgently.
“All our early enquiries suggest the offender is a male of asian or mixed race asian appearance. Aged between 16 and 17 years, with a long oval shaped face with a small nose and dark eyebrows. He had black, short clippered hair and was wearing a navy coloured woolly hat. He was around 5′6″ tall, of thin skinny build and a Birmingham accent. He was wearing plain grey t-shirt or top and grey jogging bottoms and he had a white coloured bag.
“The screwdriver has been recovered and is described as yellow and 8″ long.
“We are also keen to speak to two of the female teenagers we believe were at the scene.
“One was of mixed race Caribbean white appearance, 5′9” tall, medium to chubby build, long dark brown hair, tied up and pulled back onto the top of her head in a bun. It is believed that she is about 15 years old. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a hooded top as well as a handbag.
“The second female is described as Caribbean, 5′9″ tall, thin to medium build and with afro hair about 12″ long in a Don King style, as if it were about to be plaited.
Again, she is thought to be about 15 or 16years old. She was wearing black clothing, long sleeved tight fitting top with a shiny pattern on the front.
“An additional person we would like to speak to is a second male teenager who was with the offender. He is about 16 or 17 years old and is described as light skinned asian, about 5′8″ tall, medium / chubby build with black short hair and a local Birmingham accent. He was wearing a light grey hoody and dark bottoms.
“I am appealing specifically to the girls who were in the group on Friday night to come forward.
“To parents and family members if any of your children have seen this or been involved in this their behaviour may be different, they may be worried or upset. You may even be missing that screwdriver.
“We ask you to come forward with your children and help us. We understand that young people in the area who where there and know something may have real concerns about coming forward.
“We have a proven track record in protecting witnesses and in the first instance all information provided to us will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
“Information can be given through the police, or through Crimestoppers.
“Finally, to the person who did this, I am quite sure that they didn’t set out that night to harm anyone & helping is in their best interest to come forward to us as soon as possible.”
Detectives have released a picture of Sarfraz, along with some CCTV from that evening of people that they would wish to speak to and an efit.
