People living on a Suffolk housing estate have expressed their shock and concern at an “escalation of violence” after a stabbing left a man in his 20s fighting for his life.
There was a huge police presence on the Moreton Hall estate in Bury St Edmunds in the early hours of Saturday morning, following reports a man had been stabbed in a car park outside the Moreton Hall pub in Lawson Place.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a helicopter landing in the nearby Heldhaw field, and said it was there for more than an hour before taking off.
Detectives believe the injured man, who is understood to be local and in his 20s, was stabbed during a fight with a group of men.
It was not a random attack, they said, and is believed to be targeted.
A 29-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident a short time later and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning.
The following evening, a 24-year-old man from Bury St Edmunds was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and was taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning. He was later bailed until Monday 18 November pending further enquires.
MORE: Man fighting for his life after stabbing in car parkIt is understood the injured man was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries, where he remains in a stable condition.
Police taped off a large area near the pub and the car park outside it while investigation work took place at the scene.
Peter Thompson, a local councillor who lives nearby, said he was in bed when he heard a helicopter hovering over his house.
He said: "There were a lot of flashing lights and it was clear something pretty major was going on.
"There has definitely been an escalation of violence and of these sorts of incidents, and I'm fairly certain it's involving people from outside the area. I have to condemn it, it's scary for people living here."
One woman, who lives nearby but did not want to give her name, said: "It's horrifying. It's one thing after another. It's so sad."
This latest incident came just a week after 29-year-old Siobhan Phillips was stabbed in Needham Market.
Police had been called to Quinton Road in the town at 6.10am on Saturday, October 19, to reports of a woman having been found in a pool of blood, with multiple stab wounds, outside a bungalow.
A 16-year-old boy from Ilford appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of Ms Phillips last week.
He was not asked to enter a plea and was remanded in youth detention to appear before Ipswich Crown Court for a plea hearing on January 13.
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