Police have identified the 23-year-old victim of a stabbing on the dance floor of a nightclub in Birmingham on Boxing Day, as his heartbroken family paid tribute to their “dear friend”.
Cody Fisher was attacked just before 11.45pm at the Crane location in Adderley Street, Digbeth, West Midlands Police said.
He was on a night out with friends when he was approached by a group of people and stabbed, according to police.
A statement shared by police and attributed to Mr Fisher’s family said: “They broke our hearts; I’ve lost my best friend. My family and I ask for privacy and respect at this heartbreaking time.”
Despite efforts to save Mr. Fisher, he was pronounced dead about half an hour after officers were called to the scene.
Revelers at the nightclub criticized the security screenings at the event, recalling a “moody” atmosphere in the venue.
Sydnee Power, from Birmingham, described “groups of guys” who were “looking to cause trouble”.
The 23-year-old told PA news agency: “As soon as me and my friends came in, we got a really weird vibe and the vibe wasn’t good.
“There were groups of guys everywhere, most of them looking moody.
“A lot of them certainly wanted to cause trouble. They clearly weren’t there to enjoy the music.”
An 18-year-old man from Wolverhampton, who declined to be named, said the incident was a “disaster waiting to happen”.
He said of the security screenings: “Not once was me and the friend I was with asked to empty our pockets, even though mine were full. I was wearing cargo pants with pockets full.
“They didn’t even touch me while they frisked me, they just traced the contours of my body with their hands and then tapped me to say go ahead.
“Of course you want everyone to have a good time and have fun (but) when we came in I said to my friend, ‘That’s the worst quest I’ve ever seen’. Anyone could have contributed something.”
The Crane canceled its New Year’s Eve event in light of the incident, saying it was working closely with police as they continue to investigate.
A statement on the club’s Instagram page said: “We are all deeply shocked and saddened that a man lost his life last night as our Boxing Day event came to a close. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family and friends.
“We are working closely with West Midlands Police in investigating this crime. We encourage anyone who witnessed this incident, or has information that could help West Midlands Police, to contact them directly.
“We do not think it is right to hold our New Year’s Eve event under these circumstances. All ticket holders will be contacted directly and refunded by the relevant ticket providers.”
Police said hundreds of people were present at the nightclub at the time of the stabbing and called on witnesses to come forward.
Detective Michelle Thurgood, who is leading the investigation, said: “This was a young man enjoying himself with friends on a Boxing Day night out and our thoughts are with his friends and family today.
“We know that there were hundreds of people in the nightclub at the time. While we’ve spoken to some of them already, we’ve yet to hear from anyone who was there who witnessed or even filmed what happened.
“We believe the victim was approached by a group of people and then stabbed, so we are working hard to identify everyone involved.”
The crime scene remains closed while evidence is gathered and community officers will patrol the area for the next few days to provide reassurance