A teenage boy was assaulted and threatened with a knife in a "violent and unprovoked" attack in Liverpool city centre.
It was reported a man approached the 16-year-old boy in Lord Street, and first removed his sunglasses from his face and stood on them. The man then threatened the victim with a knife and as the victim walked away, he punched him to the face.
The teenager ran towards Whitechapel and Church Street where he was assaulted by a group of men on bikes. As officers arrived at the scene, the group rode and ran away from the area.
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The victim was taken to hospital with several injuries to his face. Officers have carried out extensive CCTV examinations and witness enquiries and detectives have issued CCTV images of two men they believe could help with the investigation into the assault, which happened at around 8pm on Saturday, March 26.
Detective Inspector Chris Saidi said: "This was a violent and unprovoked attack that could have left a teenage boy seriously injured.
"The use of knives and any weapons is reckless and will not be tolerated, and can have devastating consequences, not only for the victim and their family but also for the offenders involved. I would urge parents to educate themselves and speak to their children and family members about the dangers of knife crime.
"While some weeks have passed since the incident, any information you hold could be vital to our enquiries. If you recognise the males pictured then please let us know, as we believe they may hold information vital to our ongoing investigation.
"If you witnessed any part of the incident, then do let us know as any information you hold could support to our enquiries."
If you recognise the men in the picture or have any information on this incident, please contact @MerPolCC, 101 quoting reference 22000210252. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their online form here.
