Church leaders pray for peace following stabbings in Birmingham, England

CNA Staff, Sep 7, 2020 / 08:00 am

Catholic and Anglican leaders in Birmingham, England, said they were praying for peace Monday after an attack that left one person dead and seven others injured. 

In a joint statement Sept. 7, Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham and his Anglican counterpart, the Rt. Rev. David Urquhart, said their thoughts were with those who were stabbed in the city in the early hours of Sunday morning.

"We pray also for their families and friends -- and for the emergency services and for all that they are called to do in response to these shocking events," they said.

West Midlands Police announced Sept. 7 that they had arrested a man, 27, on suspicion of murder and seven counts of attempted murder in connection with the stabbings. 

The police declared a major incident after the attacks, which took place at four locations in the city over a period of 90 minutes. They launched a manhunt, but said there was no indication that the attacks were terror-related, motivated by hate crime or connected to gangs.

A 23-year-old man died, and a 19-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman suffered critical injuries. Five others, aged 23 to 33, were treated in hospital. Two of them were later discharged. 

"At this time when the health and well-being of the people of our city is already uppermost in our minds, we pray that all who live and work in Birmingham and those who visit can be reassured about the safety of our popular city," the Catholic archbishop and the Anglican bishop of Birmingham said in their joint statement.

"Birmingham is a great city and it is shaped by many diverse communities working together and overcoming challenges and differences. We cherish and pray for its peace today."