Family and friends have paid tribute to a “lively, bubbly, beautiful” university student who was fatally stabbed near a large halls of residence in Manchester.
Greater Manchester police said Luke O’Connor, 19, was stabbed on Wilmslow Road in Fallowfield at about 2am on Wednesday. He was given CPR at the scene but later died of his injuries in hospital.
In a statement released through police, his family said they were “truly devastated” by the loss of the teenager, a second-year business management student at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).
“Luke was loved by so many people, and he knew how much he was loved in return,” the family said. “He loved the freedom of student living and studying and was loving life in Manchester.
“Luke loved music, football and was a big supporter of Liverpool football club, who he followed religiously from a young age. He had a profound impact on so many people throughout his life. He was truly one of a kind, whose presence would light up any room.
“Our lively, bubbly, beautiful boy has been taken from us and our family are now left with a hole in our hearts that will never be filled.
“Justice needs to be served as we have lost our beautiful young Luke, who was robbed of life. We will continue to honour his name for as long as we are all here, and his legacy will go on for ever.”
The family asked for privacy while they grieve.
MMU said its thoughts were with O’Connor’s family and friends.
“We will be contacting them to offer our help and support,” it said in a statement. “This will be a terrible shock to our whole community, and we will be arranging for professionally trained counselling staff to support any students and staff who are affected by the incident.”
Police patrols around Fallowfield and other student areas would be increased, the university said, with additional patrols between 7pm and 3am each night until the end of the month.
Letitia Jones, the president of MMU students’ union, said: “The university are supporting everyone affected – if this has affected you deeply, please contact the counselling, mental health and wellbeing service.”
The attack took place on a busy main road in the centre of a suburb that is home to thousands of students from the city’s two main universities. The Manchester Evening News reported the student was on his way home from a party when police believe he came across his alleged attacker. The two are not believed to have known each other.
Police said they were “actively pursuing leads” and would “relentlessly pursue the offender to ensure they are brought to justice”.
