First responders rushed into the alley after receiving reports of a stabbing. Towards the dead-end of the narrow passageway, they found a teenage boy lying in a pool of blood and on the brink of death. Paramedics went to work, fighting to keep him alive as his organs began to fail. He had suffered two severe stab wounds – the first to his chest and the second deep into his abdomen. A large kitchen knife lay on the ground beside his body.

The attack in the alleyway was witnessed by the victims teenage friend, who told police the pair had been walking through Goose Green sipping on soft drinks they had bought from a nearby McDonald’s fast food outlet, when they were accosted by a man aged in his 20s, wearing a black hoodie, black jeans, and white baseball cap. The unknown man had tried to grab one of the teenagers and drag them into the alley. In the ensuing scuffle, the assailant pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim twice before fleeing the scene.

Following the attack, Greater Manchester Police put out a public appeal to identify the suspect. Newspapers were soon reporting alleged sightings of the perpetrator, with The Manchester Evening News announcing someone who fit the description was later seen at Altrincham’s Metrolink station.

With no clue to suggest a motive, police were worked swiftly – concerned the unknown assailant may strike again. Meanwhile, investigators retrieved footage from the few CCTV cameras in the Goose Green area and discovered they were in luck – one camera faced directly towards the alleyway where the teenager was attacked…