- Kelvin Ward, 50, killed after getting into 19-year-old son’s car in Birmingham
- Group of thugs were trying to attack the son, as they rammed into their car
- Police footage shows group leaving the man to die in the road following attack
This is the chilling footage showing the moment a father was ambushed and murdered in the streets by a gang armed with machetes and zombie knives.
Kelvin Ward was brutally stabbed as he left a KFC drive-thru with his 19-year-old son, who the group-of-four had been trying to kill on April 18, 2023.
Two teenagers and a man were today found guilty of killing the 50-year-old.
Coventry Crown Court heard how the three men were among a group-of-four attackers who rammed a Vaxuhall Corsa driven by Mr Ward’s son in the fast food chain car park.
They then turned on his father when the teenager managed to escape on Chester Road in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham.
The shocking footage released by West Midlands Police shows the masked thugs chasing Mr Ward across the street with massive blades and leaving him to die on the road after the attack.
Leighton Williams was one of the four thugs who chased Mr Ward and his son down Chester Road in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham
The four thugs – Tyrone Hollywood, Leighton Williams, Rusharn Williams-Reid, and Aaron Coates – were in a stolen Ford Kuga just before 8pm on April 18 when they spotted Mr Ward.
Hollywood, aged 17, drove the Kuga onto the KFC car park and rammed the car carrying Mr Ward and his son.
Mr Ward’s son managed to drive away with his father, but their car was repeatedly driven into until its airbags were let off, forcing it to stop.
Mr Ward’s son then fled on foot as the gang shouted: ‘Get him now, keep chasing. Kill him, everyone kill him.’
He was chased by Hollywood, along with Williams and Williams-Reid, but managed to escape with the help of a man on an e-bike.
Mr Ward jumped into the gang’s Kuga and drove in the direction which his son had run off in. He aimed the vehicle at Hollywood, but missed and crashed into the railings on the side of the road.
Hollywood was handed a machete or zombie knife by Coates. He and Williams were then caught on CCTV stabbing Mr Ward in the middle of the road in broad daylight.
Emergency services rushed to the junction of Windward Way at around 8.15pm but nothing could be done to save the victim despite the efforts of medics.
A major police investigation revealed Mr Ward’s son had been friends with some of the attackers, but they had fallen out, leading to Mr Ward’s family home being attacked in the days before the killing.
Det Supt Shaun Edwards, head of our Homicide department, said: ‘This is an absolutely horrific attack on a man who was simply going about his day, ordering a takeaway with his son.
‘You can see from the video evidence the ruthless determination that the attackers had as they chase down Mr Ward and his son, and ultimately kill Mr Ward.
‘Our investigation was absolutely painstaking, and was able to place the defendants at the scene.’
A major police investigation revealed Mr Ward’s son had been friends with some of the attackers, but they had fallen out, leading to Mr Ward’s family home being attacked in the days before the killing
Hollywood was convicted of murder alongside Williams, aged 28, from Birmingham.
Coates, 18, from Shard End, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.
Williams-Reid, 18, from Castle Vale, was cleared of murder and manslaughter.
All four were found guilty of conspiracy to murder Mr Ward’s son. Sentencing is due to take place in January next year.
In an emotional tribute, Mr Ward’s family called him a ‘loving partner, father, son, brother and friend to many’.
Mr Ward’s partner, Tammy, said: ‘Kelvin was the love of my life. He was a fantastic partner, father, son, brother and good friend to many. He always put himself out for other people and if anyone needed a job doing or shoulder to cry on, he’d be there.
‘He was very unique and there was never a dull moment when he was around. He was funny, the life and soul of a party, he worked hard to provide for his family, he had so much more to live for and loved life.
‘We didn’t even get to say goodbye instead we got to watch videos of his last moments which was horrific.
‘To see the man I love stabbed by savage people then left to die like ‘road kill’ dumped on a road is disgraceful and no one should have to go through that.
‘The measure of how good a man is, is by how many people turned up at his funeral. There was estimated to be 500 people and Kelvin had a special connection with each one who attended.
‘The church was so full that people stood outside.
‘Knife crime is a huge problem in the UK. We hear about it every day. The levels of violence are increasing and this is why we need longer sentences on those caught with knives or machetes.
‘It’s our news today and could be yours tomorrow. We need to send a message to the young people that life is not a computer game, but it appears that this is exactly what the younger generation are treating life as. It appears that they believe they have the authority to decide on someone’s fate?’
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William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
