Third murder arrest as seven people in custody following Cody Fisher nightclub killing

Police have arrested a third man today on suspicion of the murder of Cody Fisher, who was stabbed to death at a Boxing Day nightclub event in Birmingham.

The 22-year-old suspect was held in London just before 3am today and will be questioned over the killing of Fisher, who was stabbed on the dance floor of the Crane nightclub on Adderley Street in Digbeth just before midnight on 26 December.

Four other people have also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, stated police.

“Two were held in London yesterday, and two were held in the capital this morning.

“We still really need to hear from anyone who saw or recorded what happened.”

A post mortem held yesterday confirmed that 23-year-old footballer Fisher had died of a stab wound, and a knife has been recovered as part of the investigation.

DCI Ian Ingram, leading the investigation, said today: “We now have seven people in custody and continue to build a picture of the events that led to the tragic loss of this young man’s life.

“People are continuing to come forward with information, but I still want to hear from anyone who has not yet got in touch with us.

“If you have footage that we have not yet seen, or you know what may have happened in the lead up to Boxing Day’s awful events, I’d urge you to do the right thing and speak to us right now.

“We are determined to get answers and justice for Cody’s friends and family, and won’t stop until that happens.

“We are keeping them updated with developments as they happen, and continue to support them through this awful time.”

Victim Cody Fisher was a regional football player, playing left back in local non-league football around Birmingham and also for Stratford Town and Stourbridge. His death was met with an outpouring of messaged os sadness and sympathy online from those who knew and supported him.

Det Insp Michelle Thurgood, leading the investigation, said of the incident: “This was a young man enjoying himself with friends on a Boxing Day night out” and that “the victim was approached by a group of people, and was then stabbed.”

“We know there were hundreds of people in the nightclub at the time. While we’ve spoken to a number of them already, we still need to hear from anyone who was there and who witnessed or even filmed what happened,” she added.

Crane nightclub

West Midlands Police have also applied to Birmingham City Council for the Crane’s license to be reviewed, amid claims made by revellers of lax security operations at the recently-opened entertainment venue.

The tragic incident took place during a Boxing Day event featuring well-known techno DJ Marco Carola.

One clubber attending the event told the PA news agency there were “groups of lads” who were “looking to cause trouble”.

“As soon as me and my friends walked in, we got a very weird vibe and the atmosphere wasn’t good,” said Sydnee Power, 23, from Birmingham.

In a statement from Crane nightclub, the venue said its staff were “deeply shocked and saddened” by the incident, which happened shortly before the event was due to finish at midnight.

A spokesperson for the Digbeth venue said, “Our thoughts are with the victim, and his family and friends” and staff were working closely with investigators.

In a statement published earlier today, West Midlands Police said: “Licensing officers will be asking for immediate measures to be put in place to ensure public safety, and the hearing is due to take place tomorrow.”

A planned event on New Year’s Eve has also been cancelled by the venue, as police continue to work with other venues in Birmingham “to ensure the safety of people at bars and clubs in the city.”