Sheffield councillor speaks out over battle against knife crime after family friend is stabbed

Coun Mick Rooney was visibly upset when he mentioned the 19-year-old victim briefly at a meeting.

The young man was stabbed in the Carver Street area of the city centre and remains in a serious condition in hospital.

After the meeting, Coun Rooney talked about what he described as “almost weekly stabbings” in the city.

“I’m not convinced there’s a sea change in the safety of this city but if people think there is, we have to do something about it,” he said.

“Trotting out ‘Sheffield is still the safest city’ tends to wear a bit thin because we have almost weekly instances of people being stabbed.

“We have to persuade people it’s not acceptable to walk around with a knife. It’s become a perpetual cycle where people are carrying knives to protect themselves from people who are carrying knives to protect themselves.”

A 23-year-old-man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information should call South Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote incident number is 184 of March 1. Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555111.

Last year, council chiefs decided not to allow a controversial Knife Angel statue to come to Sheffield. Coun Paul Wood, Cabinet member for community safety, made the decision after talking with groups and individuals, who were completely divided on it.