Alfie Lewis: Brother of stabbing victim to run Leeds Half Marathon
The brother of a teenage stabbing victim is to run the Leeds Half Marathon in his memory to raise funds for an anti-knife crime charity.
Schoolboy Alfie Lewis, 15, was fatally stabbed in Horsforth on 7 November.
His brother Antony, 23, will take part in the annual event on Sunday 12 May to raise money for the Ben Kinsella Trust.
Antony said it had been a "big struggle" for the family since Alfie's death. A 14-year-old boy accused of his murder is awaiting trial.
The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, previously denied the charge. He is due to stand trial this month.
'Destroying'
Carpet fitter Antony said he had never previously ran the 13.1-mile half marathon distance, but wanted to do something positive after Alfie's death "to not let it defeat me and try and do him proud".
Losing his brother was "destroying", he said.
According to The Ben Kinsella Trust, which aims to tackle knife crime through education and campaigning, said the number of teenage deaths due to knife crime had more than doubled since 2013.
It said teenagers were "disproportionally affected" by knife crime.
The latest Office for National Statistics data revealed 82% of teenage homicides in the year ending March 2023 involved a knife or sharp instrument, more than double the rate for all ages.
"It is becoming quite prominent in today's society so we need to put a stop to it," added Antony.
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