The family of a 15-year-old boy found fatally stabbed have spoken of being “held in a nightmare” after the death of their “funny, loving” teenager.
Zane Smart died after an incident in the Pendeford area of Wolverhampton on May 27, West Midlands Police said.
The force said part of what unfolded was captured on the social media app Snapchat and has appealed for anyone with a copy of the footage to send it to officers.
The world keeps turning but for us it has stopped still, we are held in a nightmare from the moment he lost his life to yet more knife crime
A 16-year-old boy had been due to appear in court charged with the teenager’s murder.
In a statement released through the police along with a photo of the boy, his loved ones said: “Words cannot describe the unbearable loss we feel as Zane’s family.
“He was a brother, a son, a grandson, a nephew who was loved deeply.
“The world keeps turning but for us it has stopped still, we are held in a nightmare from the moment he lost his life to yet more knife crime.
“We want him to be remembered as the funny, loving boy he truly was, with an infectious dimpled smile that lit up any room.
“Zane you are the kindest soul, and we love you deeply. We will never stop loving you and being in your corner, our boy.
Your help now could perhaps protect your own loved ones but will certainly bring justice to our boy
“As a family we urge anyone who saw or heard anything, if you have Snapchats or videos, send them anonymously to the police, please help us make sure another life is not lost.
“Your help now could perhaps protect your own loved ones but will certainly bring justice to our boy.”
Zane was part of a group who were outside the Pendeford Fish Bar chip shop on The Haymarket at about 3.40pm, police said.
Detectives are still trying to identify who was there, and have urged people with information to come forward.
They also want to view Snapchat footage of the incident, and hear which accounts the video was shared by.
