Police investigating the suspicious death of a 15-year-old boy found with fatal injuries are working to identify a motive.
The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene on Clarendon Street, Glasgow, at around 10.30pm on Wednesday after police and paramedics were called to reports of a person with serious injuries.
At a press conference on Thursday outside Stewart Street police station, close to the scene to the west of the city centre, detectives could not say if the boy had been attacked with a weapon, saying that will not be known until a post-mortem examination is carried out.
Detectives also could not confirm the teenager’s identity, ethnicity, or whether he was local to the area.
Asked if his death is being treated as murder, they said it is a “suspicious death investigation”.
Forensic officers at the scene on Clarendon Street (Jane Barlow/PA)
At the scene, a blue forensics tent has been erected between two residential streets lined with tenement flats.
Detective Superintendent Cheryl Kelly said she believes “answers lie in the community”, and said it is being treated as an isolated incident.
She described the victim as a “child”, and said his death was a “tragedy”.
When it was put to her that the boy’s teachers had told his classmates of the death, Ms Kelly said specialist officers are supporting his family.
Ms Kelly said: “We are engaging with partners in education to try and identify other individuals to support the investigation.
“We are still looking through CCTV, that will determine ethnicity. I can’t confirm his identity or comment on ethnicity.
The boy’s death is being treated as suspicious (Jane Barlow/PA)
“We don’t believe there is further risk to anyone else in the community. We are treating it as isolated.
“If we don’t know who the suspects are, we don’t know the motive. We don’t know if it’s targeted.
“I believe the answers lie in the local community.”
Asked if the victim was from the area, Ms Kelly said: “I won’t confirm anything in relation to the victim. We have got to give dignity to this family.
“We are keeping an open mind to a motive. We have got to identify what a motive was for this incident.”
She said forensics officers are working at the scene, and added: “It will come out whether there are any weapons found which are relevant.”
The 15-year-old boy died after being found seriously injured in Clarendon Street, Glasgow, on Wednesday night (Jane Barlow/PA)
Superintendent Christopher Stewart said: “This is a major investigation which is fast-moving, in its very early stages. We are here to appeal to the local community.”
Ms Kelly said: “An extensive investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances surrounding this death.
“Whilst formal identification has yet to take place, we have spoken to the family of the boy and will continue to provide them with specialist support at this distressing time.
“We have been gathering CCTV footage from the surrounding area, which is being reviewed.
“Officers have also been carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the local area and will continue to do so.
“I would also be very keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and anyone who has dashcam, private CCTV or doorbell footage around the time of the incident.
“Any information, or footage, could prove vital, so please do pass it on to officers.”
Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 3652 of March 5, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
An online portal has also been set up where the public can submit information about the incident. This can be found at: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/SCOT25S08-PO1