The Specials singer Neville Staple has spoken out after his 21-year-old grandson was stabbed to death in Coventry, saying his family is “truly devastated”.
Fidel, who is the son of Staple’s daughter Melanie, died in hospital on Saturday after being found at the rear of Club M in Croft Road.
West Midlands Police (WMP) have arrested a 23-year-old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and have launched a murder inquiry. The man remains in custody.
Staple wrote on Facebook on Saturday evening: “We are truly devastated to announce the heartbreaking loss of my grandson Fidel (my daughter Melanie’s son), who died today as a result of being attacked with a knife in the street.
“We want to thank the hospital staff & surgeons at UHCW University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, who battled all day to try & save him.
“My beautiful daughter Melanie & wife Christine Sugary, all the family and myself are still shocked by this tragedy, but would like to thank you all for the kindness & messages we have received.”
The Neville Staple Band is due to play at Coventry’s Godiva Festival later this afternoon and the family said the show will go ahead, with a message about knife crime.
Staple’s wife, Christine, told the BBC: “Our daughter Melanie said she wants us to still do it.
“Neville wants to dedicate the performance to Fidel and we want to do a little bit of highlighting while we are there and use our profile for something good by highlighting just what is going on at the moment with the young people and the things that are happening with knives, and in some cases guns, on our streets.”
She said her grandson was “just so handsome, so sweet, such a charmer, anyone who met him would always say ‘he’s just so wonderful, what a lovely boy’”.
Neville Staples’ Facebook page was today flooded with messages of condolence and support.
WMP said they were called to reports of disorder in the city centre around Club M at 5.30am on Saturday and found Fidel at the rear of the club in Hertford Place.
A short distance away, on Queen Victoria Road, a second man, aged 23, was also found with stab injuries.
He remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital following surgery on Saturday afternoon, WMP said.
The arrested man was located in City Arcade a short time after the attacks, WMP said.
Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from the force’s homicide unit, said: “Sadly another young man has lost his life in a knife attack.
“Our thoughts are with his family at this dreadful time.
“We are aware that numerous people who were at the club at the time could have witnessed what happened and I would urge them to contact us with any information no matter how insignificant it may seem.”