By James Simons-
An 18-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was stabbed in Leicester city centre.
Police were called just after 5pm on Tuesday following a report that a man had collapsed in Oxford Street, close to the junction with Bonners Lane, near De Montfort University.
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While officers were en-route to the scene it was reported the man – who is in his 20s – had been stabbed and he was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary, where he died a short time later, Leicestershire Police said.
Police said the victim was involved in an altercation with another man in the street, who left the scene before police arrived.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Lorna Granville said: “We are currently piecing together exactly what has occurred on the corner of Oxford Street and Bonners Lane between, what is reported, as two men involved in a confrontation.
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“One of the men is believed to have been stabbed and has then collapsed in the street. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he died in hospital.
“CCTV in the area is currently being reviewed and officers are speaking to potential witnesses to assist with our investigation. We know a lot of people came to the aid of the victim before emergency services arrived and we want to thank them for their help.
“If you were one of these people and you haven’t yet spoken to police, please make contact with us.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by what has happened. We are offering direct support to students and staff who witnessed the incident
A De Montfort University spokesman said:
“The incident happened at 5pm, so we know the area was also busy with motorists driving along Oxford Street. If you saw anything or captured footage on dash cam as you drove past the area we would also like to hear from you.
“I appreciate the incident has caused major disruption in the city, with a number of roads closed. We are working to reduce this impact as soon as we can.
“Local officers will be in the area over the coming days carrying out reassurance patrols. If anyone has any concerns, please speak to an officer.
“If you can help in any way, call 101 and quote incident number 495 of February 3.”
Several roads remain closed in the area while the investigation continues.
Police at the scene at the campus of De Montfort University in Leicester (Sophie Robinson/PA)
Leicester’s overall crime rate is notably higher than the national average for England and Wales. According to recent crime statistics Leicester records around 113–128 crimes per 1,000 people annually, compared with the UK average of about 90 per 1,000.
Violent crime, including “violence against the person” and knife-related offences, forms a significant share of reported incidents, and the city’s violent crime rate is approximately on par with or slightly above national figures.
These figures reflect city-wide trends rather than incidents specific to the university campus. Leicester’s busy urban environment — including nightlife, transport hubs and mixed residential/commercial zones — often sees higher recorded crime rates than rural or suburban areas.
However, there have been violent incidents involving students in the city in the past — for example, a separate case reported from several years ago where students were involved in a street fight in Leicester that included knifework, resulting in sentences for violent disorder.
Leicester — like many large UK cities — experiences knife crime and violent offences in parts of the city centre, but university campuses are not generally regarded as frequent sites of this type of violence. This incident has understandably drawn attention because of its proximity to the student population and busy central streets.
Leicestershire Police continue the murder investigation, appealing for witnesses or dashcam footage.
University and city authorities are coordinating support and reassurance patrols. Further details are expected as inquiries progress
Councillor Liz Sahu, speaking on behalf of fellow Castle ward councillors Patrick Kitterick and Mick Gregg, said: “Local councillors are very concerned and worried to read about the ‘serious incident’ that occurred at DMU last night.
“I hope and pray that everyone is safe. I believe the university is offering support to its staff and students.
“We will seek to discuss this incident and other worrying incidents that have recently occurred in our city with the police.”
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