A teenager has been charged with the murder of a student who was stabbed to death on Wednesday in Manchester.
Shiloh George Pottinger, 19, was also charged with possession of a bladed article. He was remanded into custody after his arrest on Friday and interviewed by detectives from the Greater Manchester police’s major incident team.
Pottinger is due to appear at Manchester and Salford magistrates court on Monday.
Luke O’Connor, a 19-year-old student at Manchester Metropolitan University, died in hospital after he was attacked near a large halls of residence in Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, at about 2am on Wednesday.
The second-year business management undergraduate was on his way home from a party, according to the newspaper Manchester Evening News. Greater Manchester police have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Supt Helen Critchley, of City of Manchester South district, said: “Our detectives have been in liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service who have authorised us this afternoon to charge a suspect with Luke’s murder, which is a significant moment in this case for all concerned.”
“Luke and his family remain at the front and centre of our investigation and my thoughts are with them this evening at the end of what will have been the most devastating week of their lives,” she added.
“We’ve also felt the shock and hurt in our large student community in Fallowfield, and we are continuing to listen and address the concerns that people have spoken to us about this week.
“I’d like to remind everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and nothing should be posted online that could jeopardise the defendant’s right to a free trial, therefore it’s really important people refrain from speculation or commentary on social media throughout the hearing of the case.”
In a joint statement on Thursday, O’Connor’s family mourned a “gentle giant with big hopes and dreams for the future.”
“Our hearts yearn for the loss of Luke; we are truly devastated by this tragedy,” the statement said. “Luke was loved by so many people and he knew how much he was loved in return.”
