Big Issue seller stabbed to death in Birmingham, UK - Polidicks

[img]http://imgkk.com/i/vdux.jpg[/img] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-20997334[/url] [quote=BBC News][B]The two men stabbed to death in front of shoppers in Birmingham city centre were Big Issue sellers, the publication has confirmed.[/B] Officers said hundreds of people may have witnessed the stabbings in Union Street at about 17:50 GMT on Friday. The first man was stabbed outside Sainsbury's and the second was found slumped outside Boots side entrance. Minutes later, a 23-year-old man was arrested in New Street near to Odeon cinema. He remains in custody. Post-mortem examinations on the two men, aged in their 30s, were due to take place. Their identities have not been officially released. [B]'Absolutely devastated'[/B] Union Street, which was closed on Friday night, has now reopened but some areas of the street and part of New Street remain cordoned off for forensic investigations to continue. Big Issue founder and editor-in-chief John Bird said everyone at the magazine was "absolutely devastated" to hear of the men's deaths. He said: "We are struggling to make any sense of this utterly senseless attack and our sincerest condolences go out to the families of the victims. "This awful crime, perpetrated against two hard-working, mild-mannered men, only serves to illustrate the extreme vulnerability of people who live and work on the streets, which is why we at the Big Issue are constantly striving to create opportunities which will help our vendors to get off the streets and out of harm's way. "We are truly devastated that these two individuals have been deprived of just such a future." Police urged anyone who saw the stabbings - or the attacker fleeing the scene - to contact them. A woman, who runs a stall near the Sainsbury's store and did not want to be named, said: "If it's who I think it is they've been around here for a while. "They were homeless and two lovely men. One of them had a dog called Scooby who I used to bring titbits for. I can't believe they're both dead." [B]'Exceptionally rare'[/B] Ambulance crews said police officers and members of the public had been helping give the stabbed men first aid when they arrived. However, both went into cardiac arrest and died at the scene. Supt Richard Moore, of West Midlands Police, said: "We can't assume anything at the moment, these are the very early stages of a major crime investigation. "We will put all of our investigation resources into looking at the incident. What we can't do is jump to conclusions. "It is a dreadful incident, but thankfully dreadful incidents like this are exceptionally rare." West Midlands Police said extra police patrols would be out in the city centre over the weekend to reassure members of the public.[/quote] [B]Tourist information:[/B] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Issue]Big Issue[/url] is a British magazine which employs homeless people to sell it in the street so that they can earn a legitimate income. It's run by a charity called The Big Issue Foundation

I walk up Union St. up towards Colmore Row on my way home from college every weekday, at about that time in the day. So for all I know, I may well have walked past the killer minutes before he committed the murders. Holy shit.

We have Big Issue in Australia too

How close is boots and sainsburys in relation to the bull ring? i go there all the time but have never seen either store

stabbing a big issue seller! what a evil fucker!

Oh wow this was quite close to where I am.

this is sad but there must surely be more incidents just like this which dont get nearly as much coverage

Well, that is sad. From Birmingham, Alabama, sorry to see him go. Sounds like a decent guy. Also, is there anyway Big Issue could reach across the pond to help out this Birmingham? We have a serious homeless problem and we basically just ignore it or on occassion actively work to make the problem worse.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone buy a Big Issue

[QUOTE=download;39191659]We have Big Issue in Australia too[/QUOTE] they literally fucking annoy me, if im going to the train station or catching the bus from this one place they come up to me in my face going "WANT TO BUY DA BIG ISSUE SIR PLEASE" really loudly in a bogan voice and its like no isn't enough

oh holy shit I was near there about an hour earlier yesterday

What is a big issue? Homeless magazines? Like the motz?

I'd heard that both men who where stabbed were big issue sellers..,

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;39192906]I don't think I've ever seen anyone buy a Big Issue[/QUOTE] I heard it's shit.

[QUOTE=twatbagg;39191645]I walk up Union St. up towards Colmore Row on my way home from college every weekday, at about that time in the day. So for all I know, I may well have walked past the killer minutes before he committed the murders. Holy shit.[/QUOTE] Or maybe you ARE the killer.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;39192906]I don't think I've ever seen anyone buy a Big Issue[/QUOTE] I have been blessed to see the rare sight once, and once is enough for me to live my life complete. An old woman bought one outside Marks & Spencer.

We have big issue sellers down here in Plymouth too. Most of the time they just hang around the city centre singing parodies of pink floyd songs. I buy one every day, I go past the same guy and he's pretty hard off :(

I feel like quite an idiot, I always thought "big issue seller" was just someone who sold newspapers in general, not sellers of a newspaper by that name.

[QUOTE=Deiru;39193156]I'd heard that both men who where stabbed were big issue sellers..,[/QUOTE] They were. OP updated

Used to be one on my route to uni and I used to give him a pound if I had one on me as I had no interest in reading the magazine as I bought it once and it was pretty boring to me, I hope he got himself a warm beverage or something to make his life a little more bearable

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;39192906]I don't think I've ever seen anyone buy a Big Issue[/QUOTE] You must live in a town full of cunts.

I'm moving to Aston this month, about 8 mins on the train from New Street.

I'm not surprised some of them can be pretty annoying.

Big Issue please.

[QUOTE=matty928;39191668]stabbing a big issue seller! what a evil fucker![/QUOTE] More like complete scum. [QUOTE=markg06;39193191]I heard it's shit.[/QUOTE] The quality of the articles is questionable but it's pretty decent when you consider it's all done by journalists in their spare time, each edition is a little hit and miss but it's a nice read for when you're bored, plus they do put in some nice advertisements for things that people are selling, I've seen TVs and stuff which are basically brand new being listed for a fraction of their price in it. Saying it's shit is a little misinformed.

[QUOTE=Cushie;39193356]I'm moving to Aston this month, about 8 mins on the train from New Street.[/QUOTE] Why?

[QUOTE=Chryseus;39193485]I'm not surprised some of them can be pretty annoying.[/QUOTE] Homeless person who is trying to make some money off a charity to make their living a little easier, you're fucking surprised they can be a bit pushy on trying to sell it? You'd try to sell as many as you can in any way possible if you were in their situation, just be glad it's a magazine and not something else.

[QUOTE=eddy-tt-;39193560]Homeless person who is trying to make some money off a charity to make their living a little easier, you're fucking surprised they can be a bit pushy on trying to sell it? You'd try to sell as many as you can in any way possible if you were in their situation, just be glad it's a magazine and not something else.[/QUOTE] I'd rather they be given an actual job rather than trying sell a magazine that few people actually buy, surely it can't be impossible to get them into a real job even if it's something simple like manual labour, I blame the government personally.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;39192906]I don't think I've ever seen anyone buy a Big Issue[/QUOTE] I bought one once and it was pretty lame. I do tend to give money to sellers when I see them though.

[QUOTE=Chryseus;39193609]I'd rather they be given an actual job rather than trying sell a magazine that few people actually buy, surely it can't be impossible to get them into a real job even if it's something simple like manual labour, I blame the government personally.[/QUOTE] The people who sell the big issue usually have no other options. They can't just get another job because of problems like large gaps in employment or having a criminal record.