Dramatic footage shows the moment a 15-year-old boy was arrested at gunpoint by armed police after stabbing a teenager to death as he walked home from school.
Rohan Shand, 16, who was known as Fred, was knifed in the Kingsthorpe area of Northampton on March 22 this year after an argument between his killer and his friends led to a vicious plot being hatched on Snapchat.
His killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of murder in August and jailed for life to serve a minimum of 13 years in a Young Offenders Institute on Thursday.
Following the sentencing, Northamptonshire Police released CCTV of the moments before the killing and body camera footage of armed police arresting the 15-year-old murderer as he cowered behind a chest of drawers in an attic room.
Fred’s grieving father says his life will ‘never be the same’ after the attack, while police have condemned the killer for the ‘brutality’ with which he carried out the savage attack after hunting down the teen on an electric scooter.
Rohan Shand, known as Fred, was stabbed to death in Northampton in March this year after his killer plotted to hurt him on Snapchat
Fred (indicated with a green arrow) on Harborough Road in Kingsthorpe, Northampton, moments before he was fatally stabbed in the chest
His killer (circled, on an electric scooter) was roaming the area on an electric scooter looking for him, having already visited his school
Fred’s killer then fled the scene (above) after stabbing the teen, causing ‘catastrophic blood loss’
Northampton Crown Court heard how the attack on Fred was plotted on Snapchat following an argument between the killer and Fred’s friends.
The dispute between the schoolboys had occurred the previous two days at McDonalds and a Taco Bell.
Fred was walking home from school with pals near the Cock Hotel when the 15-year-old boy found him, having already attended his school looking for him.
Fred and a friend crossed to the roundabout changing their route home but the boy charged at the teenager and shoved him into a tree.
He then stabbed Fred in the chest before he was caught on CCTV running away. The entire incident was over in seven seconds. Shocked members of the public dialled 999 while others chased the killer to a house nearby.
Armed officers swooped on the house and found the boy hiding in an attic room after being told ‘the guy who did it is still in the house’.
Two knives, including one smeared with Fred’s blood, were found at the property, along with discarded clothing and mobile phones. The phones revealed threatening messages the killer had posted on a group chat on Snapchat.
The messages included lines such as ‘giving me too much talk I might have to stab him’ and wanting to leave ‘bare holes’ in his body.
A 17-year-old boy, who stood trial alongside the 15-year-old and who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter.
However, he received a youth rehabilitation order for 18 months after pleading guilty to the charge of being in possession of a knife during the stabbing.
Dramatic body-worn camera footage released by Northamptonshire Police shows the moment that armed police stormed a house to arrest Fred’s killer
They found the knifeman hiding behind a chest of drawers (pictured) in an attic room after being told ‘the guy who did it is still in the house’
The footage concludes with him being told to lie on the floor before he is arrested on suspicion of murder
During the sentencing hearing, the court heard about the devastation Fred’s death had caused to his family and friends in victim impact statements.
Fred’s dad, Rohan said: ‘Words cannot describe how I feel and the impact of losing Fred has had on not just me but my family, Fred’s friends, and the whole town.
‘Losing Fred has left me with sleepless nights, anxiety, and insufferable pain. When Fred was taken so was my heart. My life will never be the same.
‘When I wake up in the morning, I forget for a moment and shout Fred for school, make two cups of tea and then it all comes crashing down. All I have left is memories and photos of his upbringing and fun times.
‘Fred was my best friend, my son and I relied on him to help me with technology, he would help order things online and he would also help around the house. We were a team and faced everything together.
‘I will never get over losing my Fred, we had such a close bond. We had so many plans for the future. He didn’t even get to sit his GCSEs, get married, have children, and explore the world.
‘Before Fred’s passing, he was planning to get an apprenticeship in bricklaying. I know Fred would have gone on to do amazing things but now all those dreams have been shattered.’
Detective Inspector Simon Barnes, of Northamptonshire Police, said: ‘Fred had his whole life ahead of him, he was about to sit his GCSEs and will have been looking forward to his future.
‘His family have been left devastated by the brutality of his death and his friends traumatised.
‘Today concludes the criminal proceedings into the murder of Fred and I hope his family and friends will now be able to grieve his loss with the comfort that the person who was responsible has been held to account.
‘I want to thank them for the support they gave us throughout the investigation and the dignity they showed while listening to the evidence presented at court.
‘Fred was simply walking home from school when he was senselessly attacked and killed. There is no possible justification for his death.’
A police at the scene of the killing on Harborough Road on March 23, the day after Fred was murdered
People came to leave floral tributes close by after the slaying, which has ‘devastated’ Fred’s family
Police have urged young people to think twice about carrying knives, even if they don’t intend to use them, because of the high risk of tragedy unfolding (pictured: tributes to Fred)
DI Barnes has implored young people to think twice about carrying a knife; even carrying one, he said, makes it ‘extremely’ likely that it will end up being used – even against the person carrying it.
He added: ‘The teenager found guilty of murdering him may not have set out to kill Fred but he and the 17-year-old chose to take knives, when they left home to confront him, something which massively increased the chances of someone being stabbed.’
My hope is that other young people now realise the very real dangers of carrying a knife, if you’re carrying a knife the chances of it being used either by you are against you are extremely high. Enough is enough.
‘We all have a responsibility to speak to children and young people about the dangers of knives, please take that responsibility seriously, and if you’re worried about someone who may be carrying a knife, please call us on 101.
‘We can help, before another child like Fred, is needlessly killed. Throughout the trial we heard about the heroic actions of the members of the public who helped Fred after he was stabbed and I want to pay tribute to them.
‘To those people who stopped to help him and provide medical care and those who followed the 15-year-old away from the scene, allowing us to make a quick arrest, thank you.
‘I also want to pay tribute to my colleagues and the other emergency services who attended the scene and were involved in the immediate response and investigation.
‘We sign up to serve and help the public but nothing can prepare you for what they encountered that day and I thank them for doing all they could to help Fred.’