A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with the murder and attempted murder of two men in Colchester.

East Anglian Daily Times: Police at the scene of the incident in Ryegate Road Picture: JAKE FOXFORDPolice at the scene of the incident in Ryegate Road Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)

The boy from Woolwich in London, who cannot be named for legal reasons was arrested this afternoon, Friday, February 15, on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Carl Hopkins, 49, from Colchester was found by paramedics in Ryegate Road just after 8.20am on Monday, February 11. He was found to have several stab wounds to his back and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem examination has now revealed that Mr Hopkins died from a stab wound to the left lung.

Another man, aged 40, was also found with stab wounds to his back in George Street at about 9.55pm on the previous day. The man remains in hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

East Anglian Daily Times: A public walkway was blocked by a forensics team to prevent the public approaching Ryegate Road and Castle Park Picture: JAKE FOXFORDA public walkway was blocked by a forensics team to prevent the public approaching Ryegate Road and Castle Park Picture: JAKE FOXFORD (Image: Archant)

Essex police believe that the two incidents are drugs related and isolated in nature. The boy is currently in custody for questioning.

Local residents have reacted with shock to the incidents.

Jess Carter lives at the bottom of Ryegate Road and was walking back home with her young son after the school run.

She said that when she walked through Ryegate Road at 7.30am there was no sign of a body.

“We are a tight-knit community in the Dutch Quarter but there are a lot of problems with anti-social behaviour, drugs and alcohol,” she said.

“I walked my children to school today with one of them on my shoulders - I’m usually more worried about needles on the floor than this kind of thing.”