Smethwick shopping centre murder police arrest eight Published duration 28 April

image copyright Family handout image caption Karl Gallagher, 31, was pronounced dead at the scene

Eight people have been arrested over the knife murder of a man at a shopping centre in the West Midlands.

The 31-year-old victim has been named as Karl Gallagher, who died at Smethwick's West Cross Shopping Centre.

Emergency crews, including an air ambulance, were called on Sunday at 16:40 BST after the attack.

Mr Gallagher was pronounced dead at the scene. Four men, aged between 19 and 21, are now being held on suspicion of murder, West Midlands Police said.

Three others aged, 20, 21 and 22, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, while another man, 24, is being held on suspicion of obstructing police.

image copyright PA Media image caption A police cordon near the scene at the West Cross Shopping Centre

Mr Gallagher was a "proud and loving father", and "his friends and family are devastated", his family said.

Police said they raided six properties overnight, and continue to examine CCTV and mobile phone footage from the scene of the stabbing.

Twitter footage

Det Ch Insp Jim Munro said the force had made "significant progress over the past 24 hours" and are "building up a clearer picture of the events of Sunday afternoon".

"We're very much aware that video showing the murder of Karl has been widely shared on Twitter," he explained.

"We have contacted them and have asked them to remove it, but to date we know that the footage remains publically visible.

"It's very distressing for Karl's family to know that his final moments have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

Related Topics Smethwick

Sandwell