Leicestershire Police confirm man, 18, has been taken to custody
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A murder investigation has been launched following the fatal stabbing of a student in his 20s on De Montfort University campus in Leicester.
A large police cordon remains in place following the suspected stabbing on Oxford Street on Tuesday evening, with an 18-year-old having been arrested on suspicion of murder.
It has been confirmed the deceased was a DMU student in his 20s and a student has described that he "heard a scream before seeing the man on the floor".
The University has said it is supporting students and staff who "witnessed" what happened.
A statement read: "We are aware of a very serious incident on our campus this evening.
"We are working with Leicestershire Police as they launch an immediate investigation.
"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by what has happened.
"We are offering direct support to students and staff who witnessed the incident.”
Detective Inspector Lorna Granville, Senior Investigating Officer, said: “We are currently piecing together exactly what has occurred on the corner of Oxford Street and Bonners Lane between, what is reported, as two men involved in a confrontation.“One of the men is believed to have been stabbed and has then collapsed in the street. Despite the best efforts of medical staff he died in hospital.
“CCTV in the area is currently being reviewed and officers are speaking to potential witnesses to assist with our investigation. We know a lot of people came to the aid of the victim before emergency services arrived and we want to thank them for their help.
“If you were one of these people and you haven’t yet spoken to police, please make contact with us.“The incident happened at 5pm so we know the area was also busy with motorists driving along Oxford Street. If you saw anything or captured footage on dash cam as you drove past the area we would also like to hear from you.
“I appreciate the incident has caused major disruption in the city, with a number of roads closed. We are working to reduce this impact as soon as we can.
“Local officers will be in the area over the coming days carrying out reassurance patrols. If anyone has any concerns, please speak to an officer.”
The ambulance service added: "We received a call at 5.03pm on Tuesday 3 February to an address in Leicester.
"The caller reported a medical emergency.
"We sent a paramedic in an ambulance car, three crewed ambulances and a responder from the air ambulance was also in attendance. "We transported one patient to Leicester Royal Infirmary."
Students who have spoken to LBC say they understand this to be a very serious incident that happened on the campus late last night.
Speaking from the scene, LBC reporter George Icke said: "Staff from a student accommodation company have told officers in the cordon that they’ve had parents calling them in tears as they can’t get hold of their children and they’re getting more concerned as time goes on."
Local MP Liz Kendall has said she is "aware of the incident" and urged people not to speculate.
"A police cordon remains in place this morning," she wrote on Facebook.
A murder investigation is underway after a man is believed to have been stabbed close to Leicester city centre.
The incident happened around 5pm in Oxford Street.
An 18-year-old man has been arrested.https://t.co/w9Y9UeHbf0 pic.twitter.com/EQ8rpveqWX— Leicestershire Police (@leicspolice) February 4, 2026
"There are no further details currently and I would urge everyone to refrain from speculating whilst investigations continue."
Multiple roads remain closed following the incident, including:
There are huge tailbacks right across the city because of the road closures, particularly leading to the Leicester Royal Infirmary car park. All staff going into the site have to show an NHS ID.