Two men arrested in connection with fatal stabbing in Birmingham nightclub CRANE
23-year-old non-league footballer Cody Fisher was stabbed on the dancefloor on Boxing Day
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man at Birmingham nightclub CRANE on Boxing Day.
A 22-year-old was arrested at an address in Birmingham city centre just after midnight on 28th December, while another man, aged 21, was arrested in London later this morning, West Midlands Police said.
23-year-old non-league footballer Cody Fisher was stabbed on the dancefloor of the club at around 11.45pm, and was pronounced dead shortly after despite efforts to save him. The party at the club, which was headlined by Marco Carola, had kicked off that day at 3pm, and was due to finish at midnight, shortly after the stabbing happened.
Confirming the arrests, DCI Ian Ingram, from West Midlands Police's homicide team, said: "We're making good progress in our investigation and are building a better picture of what happened. We've been really pleased with the response from the public and have already had a number of witness accounts and images sent through, which will help with our investigation.
"It's vital that we hear from everybody who saw any part of what happened that night – no matter how insignificant they think it might be. Cody's family and friends are devastated by what happened, and we'll continue to work to bring them answers."
West Midlands Police have set up a dedicated webpage for people to share information about the murder, as well as any photos or videos that they might have for further investigation.
Paying tribute to Fisher after he was named as the victim of the stabbing, his family said in a statement: "They have broken our hearts; I have lost my best friend. My family and I are asking for privacy and respectfulness at this heart-breaking time."
Fisher was a school sports coach and non-league footballer, who had been part of the Birmingham City FC Academy while he was growing up. He went on to play for non-league clubs such as Bromsgrove Sporting, Stourbridge FC and Stratford Town.
Woodrow First School, where Cody Fisher coached children, told the BBC: "Everyone is devastated today to hear of the tragic and needless death of this bright, friendly and talented young man. Many of the children at school know Cody as their sports coach and have enjoyed working with him."
In a statement shared via social media this week, CRANE Birmingham 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 as they investigate this crime. We encourage anybody who witnessed this incident, or has any information to share which may help West Midlands Police, to contact them directly."
The club has cancelled its New Year's Eve event, and offered refunds to all ticket holders.
