this is really fucked up news – the level of violence –
and for men in their 20s to turn a night out into murder like that – that’s so fucked up. you don’t just go into some other city and shoot a girl dead because you get turned down or blanked FFS….. whoever did it is just treating these girls as “meat” to do whatever you please and not having respect for anyones life – even their own (of course you will get nicked and do a long time in prison for stuff like this, it obviously started in an area with witnesses present)
thing is in that part of the city most ppl don’t trust or like the cops and it will be seen as a “turf” thing so it could end up in gang reprisals 🙁
Arrests after girl killed in park Three men have been arrested after a 16-year-old girl was killed in a gun and knife attack in a town park. Another girl is in a serious condition in hospital after the “horrendous” attack in the early hours of Saturday in the area of Prospect Park, Reading.
The three men, who are all from London and aged in their 20s, were arrested early on Saturday morning.
Officers say they are keeping an open mind on any motive and would not say if the men were known to the girls.
This is a rare and terrible crime and we need your help to find out who is responsible
Det Supt Mark WarwickThe second victim, who is 18, is a friend of the dead girl. She asked for help from a passer-by close to the park at about 0530 BST.
Officers then found the body of the dead girl in the park.
The 18-year-old is in a “serious but stable” condition. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Det Supt Mark Warwick, senior investigating officer, told reporters that both victims suffered a “knife and firearm attack” but declined to give further information.
He said: “Firstly I must express my deepest sympathy to the family of the young girl who tragically died this morning.
“We are trying to piece together exactly what happened and would urge anyone who saw what happened or who has information to come forward immediately.
“This is a rare and terrible crime and we need your help to find out who is responsible.”
CCTV footage
A large area of the park centred on a playground and tennis court has been sealed off, with a white tent close to an area of woodland.
A police cordon extends several hundred metres away to a pub called the Mansion House.
Officers took CCTV footage from the pub, its deputy manager said.
A post-mortem examination on the dead girl has yet to be carried out.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/berkshire/4524677.stmPublished: 2005/05/07 15:14:04 GMT
© BBC MMV
how anyone could get themselves in a frame of mind to do that, and not just stab themselves in the face before they did it, is beyond me.
you start casting around for excuses and scapegoats, but there are none, or rather there are millions, and they cannot all be acounted for.
yet another sad day for humanity. (so that every day ever, then? yup, but no days ever too)
latest news from TVP press feed.
I’ve quite deliberately left the cops details in here (although removed any URLs)
even random people on here might know stuff as well – perhaps they were chilling in the park and got hassled by some rudes who were harassing a couple of girls as well? at the time they may not have thought anything of it. there’s a crimestoppers number in there, you don’t need even to speak to old bill…
I’m not leaving the number in for glory or because I’m thinking that “if we help cops they won’t be harsh on raves” – but-this is my city, my friends live in this area and it is the job of the Police to sort out what happened here and bring those responsible to justice – Not a self-appointed mob who have their own agenda and will only cause further problems,
I know on this scene we have a culture of not grassing – but when scum are murdering people you can’t just let them get away…
I don’t always see eye to eye with TVP for obvious reasons – and I bet they don’t like a lot of the threads on here because we do naughty things, without going through the proper channels- but fair play to them for actually making the arrests quickly – I hope they have got the right people and/or are going through the evidence as thoroughly as they can
It just goes to show the level of anger, misogyny and violence that exists amongst the youth and how far some are prepared to take it…
you’re looking at people who’ve lost all respect for life whatsoever.. they feel they’ve nothing to lose so want and are always looking to take something from someone else.. it worries me though, these are young people who could easily turn up at at any of our parties….
Unexplained death Reading – Update 4.30pm
Police investigating the unexplained death of a 16-year-old girl in Reading this morning have held a press conference at Prospect Park to appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Det Supt Mark Warwick, senior investigating officer confirmed that an injured 18-year-old girl was also found by a member of the public on Tilehurst Road this morning. Her injuries are not thought to be life threatening and she is currently stable.
The two incidents are believed to be linked.
Call Det Supt Warwick via 0845 8 505 505 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 with information.
• The three men arrested remain in custody.
Other than the information detailed in this press release, there is no further information available. Further updates will be placed on the website and press tape, please do not page the duty press officer for updates.
Ends.
Note to editors:
A post mortem is to be held tomorrow and a time has not yet been set for the formal ID.Q & As following press conference:
How long has the body been there?
This is still under investigation, however, the body was found at around 5.30amWho notified police?
A man who found the 18-year-old girl alerted policeHow old was the girl who died and where is she from?
She was 16-years-old. She was from the Reading area. We cannot go into any further details until she has been formally identified. The 18-year-old girl is also local.Were the girls friends?
We believe that the girls did know each other.What were the injuries the girls had?
Firearms and knives have been used. The exact cause of death has not been established and will be subject to a post mortem.Was the 18-year-old girl shot?
We believe she has injuries consistent with a knife and a firearm.Where was the body found?
The body of the 16-year-old girl was found near the Mansion House in the park.Who was arrested?
Three men in their 20’s from the London area have been arrested.
That’s fucked up, I hate gun carrying pussies that think they’re all ‘gangsta’.
agreed – especially when they come in to my city and fuck things up because their own areas already fucked. problem is although these people are cowards they are violent and brutal cowards and know exactly what they are doing and what the consequences are
it could just be a mindless killing – OTOH there’s a big crack market here and a lot of wannabe rudes who go around jacking people
you sometimes wonder if this sort of thing is done deliberately by those higher up; the victims and attackers themselves are sacrificed as colaterral damage in a war to “take control” of Readings streets [the idea of an action like this would be to spread FUD amongst the locals and to show that “london bwoys don’t give a fuck” ]
or is it just the street culture nowadays – kids so full of hate they make the war in their own brains without any actual command structure
“unregulated” places such as squats and raves are particularly vulnerable to the effects of this sort of turf war. I know this from personal experience.
I hope this is just an isolated incident.
Overheard this while making my lunch.
Didn’t realise it occured in Reading.
Proper fucked up. And sad.
As at 18:23 today it is now the head article on BBC news website for England…
Read about this in the Independent this morning. Am shocked, its just round the corner from me and is where I walk my dog.
update
TVP have released the 3 arrested on bail
Appears to be police bail w/o conditions – surprised at this (OTOH if they haven’t got the forensic or other evidence thats all they can do – there’s still the principle of innocent until proven guilty, and just because 3 were nicked doesn’t of course mean its them who pulled the trigger) – would hope they have done all the tests for powder, bloodstains etc
Post mortem on 16yr old female happening soon…
the TVP site also contains a warning to journos not to keep ringing the detectives for updates as they’ve got a case to solve, and that they will provide a full press conference near the scene for the telly etc
Now this story has broken nationwide, Reading west should residents be careful of outside broadcast vans today, they park like idiots sometimes and often drive around more concerned about getting good signal for the satellite feed rather than road safety! – OTOH there are far less of them since the downsizing – shame about those who lost their jobs but as they don’t choose where the van goes but its still often quite a “media vulture” sort of occupation (ever seen bowling for columbine and the reporters there?)
FFS the media seem as bad as the murderers sometimes, theres more than enough on that web to provide a decent bit of content (a 500+ word article or a 1:30 piece on TV or radio) – why can’t they leave the cops alone to do their job for just a couple of hours?
Latest update – in this context the release of the original 3 on bail makes more sense…
Unexplained death Reading – Update
Following the death of a 16-year-old girl in Reading yesterday, a post mortem has been carried out. It was found that the girl died from a single stab wound to the neck. She had not been shot.
Officers investigating the murder of the girl and the assault of an 18-year-old girl are trying to piece together the sequence of events that led to the tragic discovery of the young girl’s body.
It is believed that the girls were in the car park of the Wallingford Arms pub on Caroline Street, off Chatham Street in Reading at around 10pm to 11pm on Friday night in a white car.
At around 11pm, police think the girls were approached by a group of men and walked to another car in Wickes car park on Weldale St. The car has been described as a maroon or burgundy four-door saloon. There was loud music coming from the vehicle.
At around 1am on Saturday morning they are believed to have arrived at the Abbey Guest House on Connaught Road.
Some time between 3am and 5am, the girls left the location with up to six men in the car, possibly with loud music coming from it again. The car would have appeared very crowded.
The 18-year-old girl then raised the alarm just after 5am on Saturday morning on Tilehurst Road and the body of the 16-year-old was found by police in Prospect Park.
Det Supt Mark Warwick, senior investigating officer, said: “Police are appealing for anyone who saw the girls at any of these locations. Any information, no matter how insignificant you think it is, could be vital to the investigation.”
Contact police via 0845 8 505 505 or if you don’t want to talk to police or give your name please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
16 yr old female victim has been identifed as Mary-Ann Leneghan..
Latest (rather chilling) statement from Det Superintendent Warwick..
“We’re not sure whether they knew the males and we’re certainly not happy that they actually went with consent.
“These girls may have been in some distress from the moment they left the car.”
Police said that the men police are looking for may be of mixed race, white or Afro-Caribbean.
Another update – another arrest – and a South London connection …
Reading murder – new arrest made 09/05/05
DETECTIVES investigating the murder of Reading teenager Mary Ann Leneghan have arrested a man in London this morning.
Three addresses in the south of the Capital were searched by officers at around 4am as the drive to catch the offender or offenders responsible for the death of 16-year-old Mary Ann and a serious assault on an 18-year-old girl continues.
The man, who is in his twenties, is currently in custody awaiting questioning. Media will be kept updated of his status, although it is unlikely there will be further updates regarding him until much later today.
A £10,000 reward is being offered by police for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for a horrendous series of events which happed in Reading from late Friday night until the early hours of Saturday morning.
Mary Ann and the 18-year-old, who will not be named, were in a car park by the disused Wallingford Arms public house in Caroline Street, off Chatham Street, between 10pm and 11pm on Friday when they were approached by a group of males and marched to a second vehicle parked in the Wickes car park in Weldale Street.
The vehicle was maroon and burgundy and four doors. It was a saloon vehicle and had loud music playing. There were up to six men – some white and some black – in the vehicle at various stages throughout the incident.
It is believed the vehicle was often driven at speed and erratically and police continue to appeal for people – especially those in the area of the Wickes car park, the Abbey guest house and the Tilehurst Road – who may have seen or heard such a vehicle, to come forward.
The girls were driven at speed to the Abbey guest house in Connaught Road. It is believed that during their time at the hotel, they were subjected to numerous assaults during an ordeal which must have been horrific and terrifying for the teenagers.
Following their ordeal at the hotel, the girls were again driven in the vehicle. It is believed they left the hotel some time between 3am and 5pm. The number of people who were in the vehicle at this stage is unclear.
However, once again, the vehicle was driven at speed and in a matter which would have drawn the attention of people in the area.
The girls were taken to Prospect Park. The 18-year-old girl managed to struggle from the park and onto the nearby Tilehurst Road, where she flagged down a member of the public who helped her and raised the alarm.
The body of Mary Ann was discovered by police officers following a search of the park. A post mortem examination revealed she died from a stab wound to the neck.
The 18-year-old was shot and is in a serious condition in hospital. She has bravely been helping officers with their inquiries.
Det Supt Mark Warwick of the Thames Valley Police major crime unit is leading the investigation.
He said this morning: “Our inquiries led us to three addresses in London which were searched by officers, resulting in the arrest of a man in his twenties who is now in the custody of Thames Valley Police.
“This man will be questioned throughout today.
“Our main focus continues to be finding the offender or offenders responsible for this horrendous attack and bringing them to justice.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the girls involved and they have our deepest sympathies. We owe it to them to find out who is responsible for this murder and assault.
“We continue to appeal for people who saw or heard the burgundy vehicle in the areas mentioned to come forward to us as soon as possible. All calls will be treated in the strictest confidence.
“We also urge other people with information, no matter how insignificant they feel it may be, to come forward.”
He concluded: “Up to 60 police officers and support staff are working on this incident around the clock, taking calls and following up inquiries and information.
“We do believe there was a reason for this attack and we continue to work to find out what the precise motive was.”
Ends
this is so, so sad. i lived in chicago for a while a few years ago, this sort of incident was, im afraid, quite common over there. i moved back here in part to get away from that, but britain seems to be following in the footsteps or america`s mistakes, not learning from them, as i wish we would.
makes me want to take my little girl to some desert island to bring here up…
its also becoming commonplace in South London (where i am originally from myself) – and its fucked up all the London parties – you can’t do one without serious security and even then there’s still incidents,
its totally fucked up people would go to all that effort to attack these girls (you are talking a 60 mile drive from South London to Reading) – definitely seems like some wannabe rude bwoy/gangsta territorial shit
I hope these scum are nicked before they have a chance to find out about any events in our area (legal or free) and spoil things…
as i said before gl, its a sad thing. sorry it happened on your doorstep mate, but even here in little old st albans we`re gettin this sort of violence happening.
crack has a lot to answer for….
times like this remind me why we got a police force working hard to protect us all
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