West Yorkshire Police said a murder investigation has been launched after a 15-year-old boy was stabbed near a school in Leeds.
Emergency services were called to Town Street in Horsforth, near St Margaret’s Primary School, just before 15:00 GMT on Tuesday.
The boy, a former student at nearby Horsforth School, later died in hospital.
Two teenage boys were arrested in connection with the incident.
Det Ch Insp Stacey Atkinson said: “Our investigation is at an early stage and we are carrying out extensive investigations to determine exactly what led to this unnecessary loss of a young man’s life.
“We understand the enormous impact and trauma that a tragic incident of this nature will have on the local community.”
About 50 young people gathered for a candlelight vigil in Broadgate Lane, about half a mile from the police cordon.
People were hugging each other, some wiping away tears, as they gathered around a bench covered with flowers.
A parent at the school, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s terrible. It’s shocking because it’s a beautiful area.”
“You read about these things happening in London and you think it’s dangerous to be a teenager there, but you don’t think it would happen here.
“Maybe he went out this morning and they were expecting him to come home, and he’s not there.”
‘Destroyed’
MP for Pudsey, Horsforth and Ireborough, Stuart Andrew, said: “The terrible news in Horsforth today is extremely shocking and distressing, and my deepest sympathies are with the victim’s family.”
“I can’t imagine how they will be feeling and my thoughts and prayers are with them at this horrific time.”
Mr Andrew said he was also thinking of the pupils, teachers and staff at Horsforth School who he said would feel “devastated”.
He added: “The whole community will be appalled by this, because the school is a proud part of the city, and it is a calm and welcoming place.”
Earlier, Paul Bell, head of Horsforth School, said in a letter to parents: “You will be aware of the distressing incident that occurred in the community today, involving a former Horsforth School student who was stabbed in St Margaret’s Street.”
Dr Bell said the school was aware of the distress and upset the incident had caused students and staff, and said the school would provide them with all the support it could.
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