Chapeltown murder: Investigation after 'young man tragically lost his life' in incident with masked attackers

Police received a report at 2.10am today, Saturday, August 26, that a male was being assaulted outside a property on Francis Street in the Chapeltown area of the city.

Emergency services attended at the scene and the injured man was located and taken to hospital where he died a short time later.

Detective Chief Inspector Damian Roebuck, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “A young man has tragically lost his life and at this time we do not know the motivations for this attack. We have significant resources working to get answers for his family and friends and to ensure that those responsible are made to face justice for their actions.

“From initial reports, we understand that three to four people wearing balaclavas have been involved in a sustained attack on the victim. We need to identify these individuals, and I would ask the community to support us in this task by providing information to the investigation team.

“This could be something you have seen or heard in the area around the time of this incident or information or rumours you have heard about who may be involved. I would also ask people to review their doorbell or dashcam footage to see if they have captured anything relevant.

“We understand that this incident will cause some concern in the community, particularly given that the Leeds West Indian Carnival is taking place this weekend.

"At this time, this is being treated as an isolated incident. We have dedicated specialist resources investigating this man’s death, supported by an increased neighbourhood policing presence in the area to provide reassurance within the community.

“Again, I would reiterate that a young man has lost his life and if anyone within the community has any information, no matter how small it may seem, then I would urge them to report it.”

Anyone with information or footage is asked to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team via 101 Live Chat or by calling 101, quoting crime reference 13230475319.

Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.