Three people were rushed to hospital after a series of serious knife crime incidents cast a dark shadow over Merseyside this bank holiday weekend.
The victims, all male, were injured in separate incidents in Dovecot , Netherton and Liverpool City Centre .
The first incident, in Dovecot on Saturday evening, saw a 15-year-old boy wounded by his own knife after allegedly attacking a man in his 40s in Aquarius Close.
Witnesses described the teenager "bouncing down the road" with a large, dagger-like blade tucked into the waistband of his tracksuit before brandishing it at the man, who disarmed him with the help of another neighbour.
The boy suffered a head injury and a minor puncture wound to the leg, and the man was initially arrested on suspicion of wounding but later released without charge.
On Sunday evening detectives and forensic scientists descended on Hereford Drive and Chester Drive in Netherton after a stabbing that left the roadside covered with blood.
A 23-year-old man had been stabbed in the chest, back and hands in what Merseyside Police described as a "targeted attack."
Witnesses described the victim being carried into the back of an ambulance on a stretcher in a "bad way."
No-one has yet been arrested for the stabbing and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Detective Inspector Gary Stratton said: "We are looking into the circumstances leading up to this assault and I would appeal for anyone who was in the vicinity of Carlisle Avenue or Chester Avenue between around 4.30pm and 5pm who saw anyone or anything suspicious to contact us as they may have information which is vital to our investigation.
"This was a shocking incident which happened in broad daylight on public playing fields.
"Families living in the area should not have put up with incidents like these happening on their doorsteps and I want to reassure them that Merseyside Police is committed to finding the person or people responsible and bringing them to justice.
"I would urge the local community to help us to do that by coming forward and assisting us with our enquiries so we can take action and take these people off our streets."
In the early hours of today police were called to Slater Street in the city centre after a 27-year-old man was stabbed in the neck and chest.
A 25 year-old man was arrested at the scene of suspicion of wounding and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
A police spokesman said to the ECHO : "We were called to Slater Street in Liverpool city centre at just after 4am today, Monday 27th May, to reports a 27 year-old man had been assaulted.
"The man was taken to hospital with injuries to his neck and chest which were consistent with a bladed weapon being used.
"The man’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
"A 25 year-old man was arrested at the scene of suspicion of s18 wounding and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place."
In recent weeks Liverpool Crown Court has dealt with the deaths of Danny Gee-Jamieson, 16, Brandon Regan, 17, and Eddie O'Rourke, 18, in stabbing incidents.
Danny's killer, 17-year-old Owen Cousins, was jailed for 11 years for manslaughter , while Stephen Jones, 24, and Lewis Gibbons, 26, were jailed for life for Brandon's murder .
Last week Joe Ward, 18, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years for the murder of Eddie after a party in Runcorn .
Knife crime in Merseyside increased by 93% between 2013 and 2018, and senior officers have increased the use of stop and search tactics in the region.
