Five teenagers have been seriously injured in a knife attack at a Halloween party in Chandlers Ford, near Eastleigh in the English county of Hampshire. Three of the victims are 16 years old and two are 17 years old. All have been taken to hospital.
Police were called shortly after 10.30pm on Saturday, October 31, to an incident at a property on Park Road. According to investigators, an unknown group entered the party, after which the five young people were injured. Ambulances and an air ambulance were dispatched to the scene.
Police seek witnesses and video footage
No arrests were made at the latest reports. Officers worked through the night interviewing witnesses, reviewing security camera footage and speaking to residents on nearby streets. Police cordons remain in place on Park Road and Valley Road as enquiries continue.
Chief Inspector Elizabeth Pirie, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are working hard to establish who was at the party and can assist the investigation, whether they saw what happened, took footage or can help identify the unknown group.“
She urged those who attended the party, as well as anyone with mobile phone, dashcam or doorbell footage in the Park Road area, to contact police. "Any information, no matter how small, can help the investigation," said Pirie.
Residents described panic in the area
Neighbors said they heard crying and shouting, and saw dozens of teenagers and police cars in the streets. One woman who lives in the area said she had never seen anything like it in 26 years in Chandlers Ford. Another local resident described the atmosphere as "like a party had just ended."
Eastleigh MP Liz Jarvis expressed her sympathies to the victims and their families and thanked the police and emergency services. She urged people not to speculate and not to spread unverified information.
Anyone with information on the case should contact the police, quoting the number 44260534624.
Sources: dailymail.com, news.sky.com, itv.com