Two teenagers have died and eleven injured during a spate of knife incidents involving youths over the last two months.
On March 5, Amen Teklay was found with serious wounds believed to have been inflicted with a blade on Glasgow’s Clarendon Street.
The 15-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services. A major murder investigation was launched following the incident.
Officers arrested three boys aged 16, 15 and 14 in connection with his death.
STV NewsJust over ten weeks after the incident, Kayden Moy was found seriously injured on Irvine beach on Saturday after an alleged stabbing. The 16-year-old was taken to hospital where he died the next day.
A 17-year-old boy from East Kilbride appeared in private at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Tuesday in connection with the death.
He was charged with murder, attempting to pervert the course of justice and carrying an offensive weapon in a public place.
In the period between the two fatal attacks, STV News has reported on 12 alleged knife incidents involving youths, with 16 teenagers arrested and/or charged.
Four days after Amen’s death, a 13-year-old boy was charged in connection with wielding a knife outside an Asda store in Bishopbriggs.
During the same day, a 16-year-old boy was taken to hospital after an alleged stabbing on Lenzie Avenue in Livingston.
Two schoolboys, aged 12, were charged in connection with the attack.
STV NewsOn March 15, an 18-year-old man was allegedly stabbed in Stonehaven town centre and a 17-year-old boy was charged in connection.
Eight days later, an 11-year-old was charged with possessing a bladed weapon at a funfair in Ayr.
An alleged gang of 30 teens left four boys with serious injuries near Kinghorn Beach in Fife on April 10.
A 16-year-old boy and two boys aged 14 have so far been charged in connection
Two days later three teenagers were hospitalised after a reported knife attack near Portobello Beach. Officers charged a 21-year-old man in connection.
Officers were called to Hazlehead Academy in Aberdeen on April 24 after a girl, aged 12, was injured during an alleged knife incident.
A 14-year-old girl was charged in connection with the incident.
A day prior to the reported fatal stabbing of Kayden, a 17-year-old is believed to have been attacked with a blade at Portobello Beach.
STV NewsOfficers charged a 16-year-old boy with attempted murder following the disturbance. He has since appeared in court.
A 14-year-old boy was also charged with possessing a weapon during the incident.
Between Amen and Kayden’s deaths, three knife incidents at primary schools in Scotland were reported.
Following one incident, a seven-year-old child, who reportedly brought a knife into a P3 class in Ayr, was excluded.
‘Painful reminder of urgent need to invest in youth work’
YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work and the collective voice of the sector, urged the Government to insure consistent funding for investment in young people.
CEO Tim Frew said: “These events are a painful reminder of the urgent need to invest in young people — not just in moments of crisis, but consistently, through trusted relationships, youth work, and opportunities for growth.
“At YouthLink Scotland, we believe violence is preventable not inevitable. We know that when young people are heard, understood, and given the tools to manage risk and make positive choices, they can lead safer, fuller lives.”
No Knives Better Lives (NKBL) was launched in 2009 as a collaboration between the Scottish Government and YouthLink Scotland.
No Knives Better LivesThe national preventative initiative seeks to understand and take action on the causes and consequences of youth violence.
The main goal is to intervene before any crime is committed. The organisation says the spate of knife incidents have left them “deeply saddened”.
NKBL state that despite a reduction in knife crime, prevention is still “a constant, collective effort.”
A spokesperson from the team said: “In moments like these, it is vital to reaffirm our belief that all young people have the right to feel safe, wherever they are, whoever they are with.
“We know that alcohol, heat, and large gatherings can increase risk, but violence is not inevitable. With the right support, education, and opportunities, young people can be empowered to make safe choices and challenge the false belief that carrying a knife is normal.
“Our renewed pledge is to stand alongside communities, youth workers, and young people themselves, to build a culture where safety, respect, and care are the norm, and where no life is lost to preventable violence.”
STV NewsScottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has called for more efforts to be made to emphasise the dangers of carrying a knife.
He also criticised the SNP’s “weakening justice system” and urged for a “meaningful punishment” to act as a deterrence.
The Tory leader said: “Far too many young people are falling victim to knife crime in Scotland.
“Every effort must be made to raise awareness about the dangers of carrying a weapon, but in light of this horrific spate of attacks, SNP ministers must take a long hard look at their weakening of the justice system, especially in relation to young offenders.
Police Scotland“There must be meaningful punishment as a deterrence for those who might think about using a knife.”
The Scottish Government said that it has invested money in the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland in a bid to steer youths away from committing violent crimes, including incidents involving knives.
A spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Kayden Moy at this heartbreaking time. It would be inappropriate to comment on a live investigation.
“In general terms, and acknowledging it is of no comfort to any family who has been affected, knife crime has fallen, with a 69% decrease in emergency hospital admissions due to assault with a sharp object between 2008-09 and 2023-24.
“We have invested more than £6m since 2023 in the Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland to help divert people away from violence. This includes the work of YouthLink Scotland who deliver No Knives Better Lives and Medics Against Violence to help educate young people on the dangers of carrying knives.”
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs has urged youths to think before picking up a blade, as it can “destroy lives”.
He told STV News “For any children or young people finding themselves getting drawn into offending behaviour and thinking of starting to do things, like carrying knives or weapons, be really careful about that and don’t do that.
“Those are things that change people’s lives. We’ve seen people’s lives destroyed over the weekend by things like this.
“That’s the sort of activity that absolutely must not happen.”
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