A brutal murder and the 30 minutes that changed everything

Suspects wanted in connection with the brutal murder of a young man in the city centre are believed to have fled the country.

Fatah Warsame, 20, was attacked in the early hours of May 6, 2018 when he was stabbed once in the chest. Merseyside Police detectives investigating his death believe Fatah, originally from Cardiff, was stabbed at the corner of Wood Street and Roe Alley before he made his way to Hanover Street where it’s thought he collapsed at about 4am.

Fatah was visiting the city with friends and had been watching the Tony Bellew v David Haye boxing rematch. Investigating officers believed the attack followed an altercation between Fatah and three men outside what was then the Popland club on Slater Street, Liverpool city centre.

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At around 3.30am Fatah becoming separated from his two friends – a key 30 minute gap during which the victim ended up on busy Hanover Street at 4am. Fatah was punched and fatally stabbed by a single knife wound.

An off-duty nurse saw the 20-year-old lying bleeding in the street and gave him emergency first aid until an ambulance arrived on the scene. Sadly, Fatah later died of his wounds. A post-mortem examination confirmed he died of a single stab wound.

Merseyside Police has spoken to witnesses and made several arrests in the years following Fatah’s murder, but have never managed to secure enough evidence to charge anyone in connection with his murder. This month marked five years since his death – and police have issued another appeal for information.

Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings told the ECHO: “The person who did this has lived with this on their conscience for five years now. Friendships and loyalties can change over this time and we are still appealing for anyone with information to please come forward.

“We are just as determined to find the person responsible as we were in 2018. I would urge people in the community for their help with this ongoing investigation and that it is not too late to come forward with any information you may have, no matter how small.”

Detectives previously said while Fatah lived in Cardiff, he had known friends and connections in Liverpool and this was not his first trip to Merseyside. The police added Fatah had no significant or extensive criminal record that would be relevant to the enquiry.

In 2018 police said they had no description of Fatah’s attackers except they were black and wore dark clothing. But they added the victim was easy to spot because he wore a “very distinctive short sleeved t-shirt which was multi-coloured and was described as having a flash of colour on it”.

Fatah’s Somali parents both still lived in the African nation when he died, while his older brother travelled to Merseyside following his sibling’s death. Police confirmed in the days following Fatah’s death that all his relatives had been informed and were “devastated”.

Four days after his death a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and was also questioned on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug. Two other men, a 21-year-old from London and a 20-year-old from Liverpool, were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

A 33-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman from Toxteth were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. They were all released under investigation in 2018.

And in April 2021, the ECHO exclusively revealed another man wanted in connection with the killing was arrested after being returned to the UK. The Crown Prosecution Service told the ECHO another man was “still at large”.

Despite the litany of arrests, no one has ever been charged with Fatah’s murder. Merseyside Police confirmed the investigation into his death was still open and urged anyone with information to come forward.

If you have information, you can contact our social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC, quoting incident reference 18200093395. You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at:

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