The offenders arrested after the incident which saw Tomasz Oleszak die after being stabbed in a North East nature park are still in custody, police have confirmed.
Northumbria Police have confirmed the 14-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder, and the 13-year-old girl arrested on suspicion of assisting a suspect remain in custody.
The two had been arrested on Tuesday in connection with an incident which saw Tomasz die after an alleged assault in Whitehills Nature Park, Gateshead.
Tomasz Oleszak, from Gateshead, died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning after the incident on Monday.
Read more: LIVE: Police cordon off Whitehills Nature Park in Gateshead
Northumbria Police confirmed it had been made aware of a teenager who had been seriously injured in the Aycliffe Crescent area of the Springwell Estate at 8pm.
After arriving on the scene, they found Tomasz, who had suffered an injury consistent with having been caused by a "bladed article".
He was taken to hospital where, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he sadly passed away.
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron, in a statement on Tuesday, said: “Tomasz had his whole life ahead of him and this tragic incident has cut that life short and left his family utterly devastated.
“Their grief is unimaginable and they are in the thoughts of everyone at Northumbria Police as we continue to support them in every way we can.
“The investigation is very much ongoing and I want to thank the Springwell Estate community and everyone who has come forward with information for their support.
“While incidents of this nature are rare in our region, we do recognise the impact they have on the lives of those involved and the wider community.
“When they do occur we are committed to bringing those responsible to justice.”
Read more: Gateshead Head Teacher pays tribute to Tomasz Oleszak
She added: “Officers will remain in the area over the coming days and I urge anyone with information or concerns to speak to them.
“Once again, I want to reiterate my plea to the public not to speculate on details of the investigation.
“What might seem like an innocent comment or post on social media to you, could in reality disrupt an on-going investigation and cause further upset to the family of the victim.
“We would ask that if you did see something or have information in relation to what has happened, please come forward directly to officers.”
Tributes have since flooded in for Tomasz from across the community, with people laying flowers, teddy bears, cards of condolences and balloons at the entrance to the nature park.
Tomasz' football coaches have come out and hailed him for his attitude, character and "gentle" nature.
They have since launched a GoFundMe page which, at the time of writing, has raised £18,775 and will go towards supporting Tomasz' family.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20221003-0995.
Read next:
- Gateshead stabbing: First picture of Tomasz Oleszak, 14, released
- Tributes to Northumbria University student Jason Brockbanks
- Roads closed after fire breaks out inside South Shields garage
If you want to read more stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article