A woman who was stabbed in the neck in an unprovoked attack at a bus stop in Birmingham has passed away, authorities verified.
The deceased woman, aged 34 years, came under attack on Smallbrook Queensway street, right beside the Bullring shopping centre, just prior to 21:00 GMT on Friday, West Midlands Police said.
The suspect, 21, appeared before Birmingham Magistrates Court on Monday, charged over the violent incident.
Originally charged of attempted murder however after the woman's death the charge has been updated to murder.
Authorities stated officers would be around the city centre on Monday providing public assurance, while detectives assisted the victim's relatives.
Investigators are requesting any eyewitnesses who might have observed Mr Rafael, who is described as a Black British national, and is believed to have been wearing grey athletic wear, black hat, trainers and rucksack.
The knife attack occurred near the Bullring shopping centre, opposite the main entrance of New Street railway station.
Law enforcement confirmed they were treating it as a random violent act and Det Insp James Nix said they were working to understand the motive behind.
Shalini Doal, employed in the vicinity, recounted paramedic and police activity when she finished her shift at about 22:00 Friday night.
She characterized the location as "quite chaotic", adding that some of her colleagues heard a commotion around 9 PM.
"Many my colleagues use transit services, take the tram... our security is compromised fundamentally, in the downtown area."
Another individual, twenty-five, resident of Stoke, said he came the city fairly regularly visiting his partner resident there, expressing concern about what had happened.
"It causes concern for my girlfriend," he said.
"She lacks transportation employed at all of the big music venues... considering something completely unprovoked [happened], you know, it's terrible."
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