Keaton Slater: Community ‘gutted’ after boy’s stabbing death

Tributes have been paid to a 12-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run crash.

Keaton Slater was fatally injured on Radford Road in Coventry at around 4.30pm BST on Friday.

Emma O’Connor, headteacher of Cardinal Newman Catholic School where he was a pupil, said they were “all shocked and saddened by the sudden and tragic death of Keaton Slater” and added that he was “a beautiful, fun-loving and popular pupil”. .

Coventry City Football Club sent their condolences to Keaton’s family, who they described as a great supporter of the team.

Dozens of floral tributes have been left at the scene of the crash, and one resident told the BBC it was “avoidable” for the family and local community.

Ms O’Connor said in the school’s statement that their thoughts and condolences go out to Keaton’s family and friends.

He joined the senior school from St Augustine’s Primary School in September.

“We will all miss him, his incredible smile and his wonderful sense of humor,” she added.

The school said its students and community would be supported in the coming days by additional counselors, lay chaplains and staff.

Coventry City said in their statement that they were “deeply saddened” to hear of Keaton’s death.

“Keaton was a great supporter of Coventry City and the thoughts and condolences of everyone at Coventry City Football Club and the entire Sky Blue community are with Keaton’s family and friends at this terrible time for them,” they said.

In a tribute released by the force, Keaton’s family said he was “so beautiful inside and out” and “our little fun-loving comedian” who “just wanted to make everyone laugh and smile”.

Jessica Thewlis, whose children go to school near where the accident happened, said: “It’s so sad, it’s not something I would expect to happen so close to my children’s school.

“It’s terrible and absolutely disgusting to everyone here who knew and loved him.”

Claire Millard’s property was where tributes were paid for Keaton and she said she had put a chair outside her house for the family to use and added she would do anything to put them “at ease” .

“I noticed that a community that I thought was almost gone really came together for this family,” she said.

“Even people who didn’t know each other hugged and talked to each other. People from Birmingham and all over Coventry came to lay flowers for this little boy they didn’t even know.”

Another passer-by, Rob Morris, said: “It’s awful, I’ve got a child myself. I was coming home from work an hour before it happened. It’s heartbreaking.”

A fundraising page set up to help Keaton’s family has raised almost £40,000.

On Sunday, police named a wanted man suspected of killing Keaton in the crash.

They appealed for information on the whereabouts of 21-year-old Dolars Aleksanders, who is suspected of causing death by dangerous driving.

A black BMW found abandoned in New Arley on Friday night has been seized by forces.