LONDON — A British court has found four teenagers and one adult man guilty in connection with the tragic stabbings of two young boys in a case that underscored growing concerns surrounding knife violence in the country. The fatal incident involved 15-year-old Mason Rist and 16-year-old Max Dixon, who were attacked by a group of assailants as they made their way to get pizza near their homes in Bristol on January 27.

Throughout the five-week trial held at Bristol Crown Court, prosecutor Ray Tully explained that the two boys fell victim to gang rivalry stemming from their Knowle West community, which clashed with the nearby Hartcliffe area. The prosecution established that the attackers erroneously believed Rist and Dixon had participated in an incident earlier that day where bricks were thrown at a house in Hartcliffe.

The brutal attack, which lasted a mere thirty seconds, involved weapons such as machetes, a baseball bat, and even a sword. Tragically, both boys succumbed to their injuries later that same day in a hospital. After deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts for all five individuals involved in the murders.

Among the convicted were three minors, aged 15, 16, and 17, whose identities remain undisclosed due to their age. They were joined in conviction by 18-year-old Riley Tolliver and 45-year-old Antony Snook, who acted as the getaway driver. Sentencing for the guilty parties has yet to be scheduled.

Vicky Cook, the chief crown prosecutor for the southwest region of England, stated that the boys’ deaths had “sent shockwaves through their community and the city of Bristol.” She emphasized the collective accountability of the five defendants, highlighting that they all shared responsibility for the horrific crime, regardless of who inflicted the fatal wounds.

Leanne Ekland, mother of the deceased Max Dixon, expressed her grief, stating, “Today’s outcome doesn’t change the fact that two families go home without their boys. We can now hopefully begin to process that and remember them both and the happy memories that both families have of Max and Mason. I wish we didn’t have to be here today, but we’ve got some sort of justice for our boys.”