A 16-year-old boy was shot in the head and is in critical condition, a man in his 30s was stabbed to death, and a third man was killed with a crossbow in a shocking 24 hours of armed violence on the streets of England.

In Wolverhampton the teenager is in critical condition after being shot and two teenagers aged 15 and 17 have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, West Midlands Police said.

In Colchester, Essex, at around 1am this morning, a man in his 30s died of stab wounds in the arms of paramedics. Police are searching for another man believed to have been injured in the incident.

And police have now revealed that Lee Gerrard Atkins, 38, who died at 2am on Monday morning in Merseyside was shot and killed with a crossbow.

Wolverhampton shooting: Police forensics at the scene on Graiseley Street in Wolverhampton where a 16-year-old boy was shot in the head around 8pm Monday evening

Wolverhampton shooting: The boy was taken to hospital where he remains today in a serious condition.

Weekend death toll 'would have been higher' without police Two more people would have died from stabbing wounds this weekend if police had not provided emergency medical treatment, an officer has said. Greater Manchester Police officers attended five stabbings this weekend, including the murder of Hamze Ismail, 21, for which Mohamed Khashkush has been arrested and charged, and the stabbing of a 16-year-old girl for which a 17-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with attempted murder. Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said today officers had saved the lives of two other stabbing victims. He said a woman had been arrested after a domestic-related stabbing in Wythenshawe and this incident, along with one involving a 31-year-old in Blackley, 'would have been fatal' without medical treatment provided by officers at the scenes. Asked about the surge in knife crime, ACC Potts said there were a number of factors at play including the loss of officers from the street and also 'youth services being cut under austerity.' He said the problem of knife crime was beginning as early as 'year nine' schools, saying: 'Young people are telling us they don't feel safe without a knife, when that is the opposite of the message we want them to take.' Advertisement

Officers were called to Graiseley Street in the Pennfields area of Wolverhampton just before 8pm on Monday, where they found the teenager with a gunshot wound to his head.

A 20-year-old man has also been arrested on suspicion of assault. The victim was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious condition.

Inspector Ade George, from the force's CID team, said: 'I am appealing directly to anyone who was in the area and saw what happened to contact us if they have not already done so.

No matter how insignificant you feel the information may be, it could really help with our investigation as we continue to follow forensic and CCTV enquiries.'

A local resident, Abbey James said on Facebook 'This is right at the top of my street. I heard two loud bangs then constant armed police, helicopter and ambulance sirens'.

The victim was taken by ambulance to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

In Essex emergency services were called to Buffett Way shortly before 1.10am today, where a man who had been stabbed died despite efforts by paramedics.

A second man is believed to have been injured but left the scene before emergency services arrived.

He has been identified as Robert Brown, 44, of no fixed address. He has links to Braintree and Colchester.

Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: 'It's really important that we find Robert Brown as he may be seriously injured and we and his family are very concerned for his welfare.

'We ask Robert or anyone who knows where he is to please get in touch so that we can make sure he is okay and he received any medical treatment he might need.

'We are continuing our enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident, and we'd like to speak to anyone who was in the Buffett Way area in the early hours of this morning and saw what happened or anything suspicious.'

Wolverhampton shooting: Police have erected a forensic tent at the site where a 16-year-old boy was shot in the head

Wolverhampton shooting: The location, near Graiseley Street, in Wolverhampton has been sealed off by police

Wolverhampton shooting: Residents described hearing a loud bang followed by the sound of sirens as emergency services arrived

The West Midlands area, like London, has seen an increase in violent crime including murder

Colchester stabbing: A murder inquiry has been launched after a man in his 30s was stabbed and died at the scene in Buffett Way, Colchester

Colchester stabbing: This morning police and forensics specialists combed the area for evidence in Essex (left) while colleagues said they wanted to speak to Robert Brown, right, who may have been injured in the altercation

Colchester stabbing: The whole street was cordoned off as police conducted interviews and gathered evidence

And a man who died after being found injured in the street in Bootle was shot with a crossbow, Merseyside police have said.

Police were called to Monfa Road shortly before 2am on Bank Holiday Monday and found Lee Gerrard Atkins, 38, with life-threatening injuries following reports of an altercation. He was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.

A Police spokesman said a post-mortem examination showed the cause of death was abdominal bleeding due to a deep penetrating wound consistent with a crossbow discharge.

The crossbow has been recovered, police said.

A 49-year-old man from Bootle was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday night and a 41-year-old man from Bootle who was arrested earlier remains in custody.

Merseyside crossbow killing: More than 24 hours after a man was shot dead with a crossbow on Merseyside a forensics tent is still in place in Bootle

Merseyside crossbow killing: Specialists officers are combing the area for evidence and two men have been arrested

Detectives believe all the parties knew each other. The victim has not yet been formally identified.

A large swathe of Monfa Road remains cordoned off, more than 24 hours after the man was found with injuries that proved to be fatal.

A blue and white forensics tent remained outside the front of a Monfa Road home on Tuesday morning.

Appealing for information on Monday, Detective Chief Inspector Gayle Rooney said: 'We're currently in the very early stages of the investigation into this incident and it is vital that anyone with information that could assist our enquiries gets in touch.

'This is a truly shocking crime which has occurred in a residential area, and a man has tragically lost his life in an appalling act of violence.'