Police have launched a murder investigation after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Bristol. The teenager was attacked in Rawnsley Park in the St Philip’s area of the city on Wednesday by two people wearing masks, who fled the scene on bicycles, police said. He ran to nearby Stapleton Road, where he was helped by a motorist before collapsing in West Street. Avon and Somerset police declared a critical incident after emergency services were called at about 6pm on Wednesday to reports of a boy found injured. The boy died at the scene. Formal identification of the victim and a postmortem are due to be carried out, and his family have been informed. CCTV footage is being reviewed by the police. The Bristol area commander, Supt Mark Runacres, described the incident as “utterly horrific”. He said a “strong deterrent”, including more police patrols in the area, was necessary in response to the attack. “There’s clearly a wider problem,” he said. “I can’t fathom why people would carry these sorts of knives.” Police in Bristol were also given enhanced stop-and-search powers from 5pm on Thursday. The powers, which were authorised by the chief inspector, were due to last for 24 hours and could be extended for up to 48 hours. “This is not a decision we have taken lightly,” Runacres said. “We understand the fear that exists in some communities around stop and search.” He confirmed that there were no suspects. Speaking to reporters at the scene, Runacres said: “We are keeping an open mind as to whether last night’s tragedy is linked to other recent assaults. We know these incidents are causing concern.” In an earlier statement , he said: “Tragically, we have lost another young life from our city in utterly horrific circumstances. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family at what will be an unimaginably difficult time and officers will continue to support them. “We are committed to bringing those responsible to justice and we will be working tirelessly to that end. While we are keeping an open mind, there is no clear evidence to suggest this is linked to other recent incidents in the city.” The A420 was closed between West Street and the Lawrence Hill roundabout but has since been reopened. A cordon remains in place in Rawnsley Park. The Bristol mayor, Marvin Rees, said on X: “Bristol is waking up to tragic news. I can’t begin to imagine what the victim’s family are experiencing, my thoughts are with them. This needs to stop. We will make every effort to support the family, the police and local community at this time.”