Police bodycam footage from the riverside path in Shire Country Park shows a scene that has haunted investigators and the public alike. A 12-year-old boy lies gravely injured, stabbed once in the stomach, while emergency services rush to stabilize him. Amid the arriving paramedics and officers, a teenage boy remains at the edge of the chaos. He speaks calmly to police, claiming he stumbled upon the victim already hurt. “He was lay there like that when I got here and that’s all I know about it,” he says, his voice steady. What the footage does not show at first glance is the truth: this teenager is the killer himself, having just committed the random, unprovoked attack that ended Leo Ross’s life.

On January 21, 2025, Leo was walking home from Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood, Birmingham. The route was short—about 10 minutes through familiar parkland along the River Cole in Hall Green. He was on the phone with a friend, arranging to meet near a tree in Trittiford Mill Park. Those were his last words before the encounter that changed everything. The 14-year-old attacker, now 15 and unnamed due to his age, approached without any prior connection or apparent motive. He stabbed Leo once, inflicting a catastrophic wound, then discarded the knife into nearby water before cycling away briefly—only to return and insert himself into the unfolding emergency.

West Midlands Police later described the killer’s behavior as calculated deception. After the stabbing, he loitered in the area, watching as members of the public discovered Leo and called for help. He even alerted another woman to the scene, prompting her to contact authorities, all while maintaining the facade of an innocent bystander. When officers arrived, he approached them directly, offering his fabricated account. The bodycam captured every word, preserving the chilling contrast between his calm demeanor and the violence he had just inflicted. Detective Inspector Joe Davenport noted that the boy appeared to derive satisfaction from the aftermath, standing nearby as paramedics worked desperately on Leo and emergency lights flashed across the path.

This was not an isolated act of impulse. In the days leading up to January 21, the same teenager had targeted vulnerable people in the vicinity. On January 19, 20, and earlier on the 21st, he assaulted three elderly women, pushing them to the ground and causing serious injuries. Each incident involved physical violence without provocation, and he carried a bladed article throughout. Investigators concluded he sought out easy targets, acting for the sake of violence itself. “He enjoyed hurting people and he enjoyed watching the chaos that unfolds,” Davenport stated, underscoring a pattern of seeking gratification from pain and disorder.

CCTV footage placed the killer “hunting” in the park area before the attack, cycling around until he found Leo alone on the footpath. Forensic evidence sealed the case: a knife matching Leo’s injury was recovered from the riverbank, linked to both the wound and the suspect through examination. Clothing seized from his home bore traces of Leo’s blood. The teenager’s decision to linger and feign concern delayed immediate suspicion, adding layers of horror to an already senseless crime. Leo was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead at around 7:30 p.m., believed to be the youngest knife crime victim in the West Midlands.

At Birmingham Crown Court on January 29, 2026, the now-15-year-old pleaded guilty to Leo’s murder, accepting he intended to kill or cause serious harm. He also admitted guilt for the assaults on the three elderly women and possession of a bladed article. The plea avoided a full trial, sparing Leo’s family further trauma, though the sentencing hearing scheduled for February 10 will determine his detention period. The Crown Prosecution Service highlighted the tragedy of a child who should have walked home safely, his future stolen in an instant of random cruelty.

Leo’s family and friends remember a kind, loving boy with a gentle nature—never aggressive, always caring. His foster family spoke of his love for simple things: being outdoors, sharing meals, laughing with friends. The best friend he was meant to meet that day arrived at the tree only to face the unimaginable news. Community tributes have poured in, vigils held, and messages shared online, all circling the same grief: a bright child gone too soon.

The killer’s pretense at the scene has amplified public outrage. It raises disturbing questions about how someone so young could commit such acts and then blend back into the crowd, even participating in the response. Neighbors had reported earlier concerning behavior—escalating disturbances that went unaddressed—prompting reflection on missed opportunities for intervention. The case has fueled calls for stronger action against youth knife carrying, better park patrols, and early support for at-risk teenagers.

Yet the core remains heartbreakingly simple: Leo was walking a path thousands take daily, planning nothing more than meeting a friend. The randomness terrifies— no argument, no grudge, just pure violence striking without warning. His death forces a reckoning with the vulnerability of everyday routines, especially for children. Parents across Birmingham and beyond now pause before letting kids walk alone, weighing safety against independence.

As sentencing approaches, Leo’s story endures as both memorial and warning. The bodycam footage, though not publicly released in full, stands as evidence of deception layered atop brutality. It shows how a killer can hide in plain sight, even among those trying to help. For Leo’s loved ones, the pain is permanent. For society, it is a stark reminder that protection must extend to the ordinary paths children travel home.