Teenager's Hand Chopped Off In Residential Area By Possible Gang Rivalry

A machete attack on a teenager in Leeds has left an 18-year-old boy with a completely severed hand. West Yorkshire police said the incident which occurred on Tuesday around 9:31pm was done by a gang.

Residents who witnessed the incident in Swarcliffe said the teenage boy was approached by a gang who “came up and chopped his whole hand off." Police officers responded to a call in Stanks Parade, Swarcliffe where they found the boy being treated by neighbors.

According to The Mirror, the neighbors who assisted the victim tied a belt around his wrist and wrapped a bandage around his severed hand which was still lying in the middle of the road.

Detective Inspector Guy Shackleton said: “We are treating this incident very seriously and are carrying out a detailed and comprehensive investigation to establish the full circumstances and identify those responsible.”

“We recognise that an incident such as this will cause understandable concern in the community and we are liaising closely with our colleagues on the local neighbourhood policing team who are updating their community representatives and maintaining a visible presence in the area to reassure people,” Shackleton reassured residents.

A cordon is still in place at the scene of the attack with officers searching the area for the machete that was used.

Meanwhile, the force has been granted additional stop-and-search powers to prevent further horrific incidents in the community. The Section 60 order allows officers to search people and vehicles for offensive and dangerous weapons without the need for reasonable grounds of suspicion. The said order will be reviewed before it expires on Thursday afternoon, the force said.

Supt Russ Hughes said they were working to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack as they believe this may be linked to other previous incidents involving rival groups, the BBC reported. The victim is currently in hospital receiving treatment. A spokesman said the teenage boy’s condition is not life-threatening .

Police said a large cordoned area of the crime scene will remain in place around Stanks Parade while forensic examinations and specialists conduct searches around the area.