A 17-year-old who was fatally stabbed at a house party in Leeds has been named by police, as a murder investigation is launched.
The victim has been named as Trust Junior Jordan Gangata, known to his loved ones as TJ.
TJ was fatally wounded in an incident at a house in Salisbury Grove, Armley, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Four men have been arrested on suspicion of murder – an 18 year old man from Huddersfield, and three men from Bradford, one aged 18 and two aged 19. They remain in custody.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Weekes said: “Trust’s family are going through an incredibly difficult time, and we have specially trained family liaison officers supporting them.
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Detectives investigating the murder of a 17-year-old boy in Leeds have officially released his name. Trust Junior Jordan Gangata, known as TJ, was stabbed and fatally wounded at a house in Salisbury Grove, Armley, in the early hours of yesterday.https://t.co/gY8nt37fFlpic.twitter.com/SOm3u6Hnp5
— West Yorkshire Police (@WestYorksPolice) March 20, 2023
“We are keeping them fully updated as we continue to progress the investigation into his murder, with the four men we have arrested remaining in custody.
“Trust’s family have asked that people respect their privacy as they try to come to terms with having him taken from them in such sudden and violent circumstances.
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“We continue to appeal for anyone who was at the party where Trust was attacked and who has any information that could assist the investigation to come forward and tell us what they know.”
They wrote: “It is with great sadness to report that one of our Lower Sixth students, Trust ‘TJ’ Gangata, tragically lost his life in the early hours of Sunday morning. The College community is devastated by this news and we have him, his family, and his friends in our thoughts and prayers.
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A tribute to Trust Junior Jordan Gangata. Credit: Notre Dame Sixth Form College
“Students, particularly his friends, will find this news very difficult to understand and accept. Our Achievement Tutors, Safeguarding Team, and College Counsellors are available to all who need support. The Chapel is also available for all who need a quiet space.
“Trust’s teachers described him as a “friendly, sociable, and kind student who always contributed positively in class”. Friends of Trust called him “hardworking, funny, and loyal” who was “a role model to his friends and always had a smile on his face”.”
A scene remains in place around the address in Salisbury Grove to undergo forensic examination and specialist searches.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team via 101 quoting Operation Pedalbourne reference 13230154405 or online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat
Information can be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Featured image: West Yorkshire Police
UK News
Northern Rail confess that they still use fax machines to contact train crews
Danny Jones
In a quite staggering moment for the public transport sector, Northern Rail has confessed that it still uses fax machines to communicate with train crews across the network.
Nope, not an April Fool’s but, rather fittingly, it is Halloween and this is pretty scary stuff to hear in 2024.
Yes, as unbelievable as it might sound, part of the reason that Northern trains have been so poorly run in recent years, leading Greater Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham to call an emergency meeting this past Wednesday, is because they still rely on faxes to communicate between train crews.
The alarming revelation was made public after the transcript from Burnham’s and the Northern mayors’ meeting with the Rail North Committee was shared online, in which one official said that many problems arise “because the tools we use to get information and messages to our crew rely on faxes, amazingly.”
Three decades of privatisation have left our water and rail industries in a sorry state.
A simply flabbergasting statement of admission from the rail network which had come under even more fire than ever of late following swathes of trains being cancelled across the region.
Burnham had already called out the company for delivering an “embarrassing” and “part-time service” but things have only got worse since he called the meeting itself.
On Thursday night, yet more trains were cancelled – some even mid-journey between the likes of Manchester and Sheffield, with passengers finding out before conductors in some instances (members of The Hoot and The Sheff team can vouch for that) – causing even more bedlam at the station boards.
Another local based in Gatley, Stockport who spoke to us following last night’s “laughable” service told us how they had to make alternative arrangements to get home after their next 10 trains were cancelled.
Naturally, the Bee Network pioneer wasted no time in calling for Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Department for Transport to intervene as, at present, the state of trains in the North as a whole is simply untenable.
Please @AndyBurnhamGM would you ask about @northernassist staffing levels and recruitment as I’m concerned there simply isn’t enough staff to operate anywhere near the advertised timetable even if RDW is resolved.
It very much feels like an ‘if you don’t laugh you’ll cry situation’ but commuters have been stuck with these simply unnaceptbale conditions for far too long.
Other details from the meeting included that not only do Northern employees still train crew members to communicate over their rotas or to book time off via fax machines, but that despite assuring they want to get rid of them they state it can’t be simply replaced due to current reliance and union rules.
It’s claimed that the rail firm has so far been unable to successfully update the network-wide communication system because of the legacy agreements that remain between Northern train drivers and their union ASLEF (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen).
Elsewhere, with the Labour Party having announced a number of cuts, tax increases and other financial changes as part of their first budget in 14 years, Burnham has at least managed to secure Greater Manchester’s locally-controlled £2 bus fare while most of the country are set to lose it.
Scissor Sisters confirm reunion after more than a decade ahead of massive Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Still a firm cult favourite from the 2000s, Scissor Sisters are officially back and are bringing a special reunion tour to Manchester and the UK and Ireland at large.
The American outfit were one of the biggest and most well-known pop groups on this side of the Atlantic during their heyday, notching three BRIT Awards and two number-one albums.
Starting out in New York, like many bands in an oversaturated music market, they ended up proving to be much more popular here in Britain than they ever did in the US, not to mention becoming real icons among the LGBTQ+ community.
And now, over a decade later, the Scissor Sisters are set to repay the likes of Manchester, Leeds, London and more with a series of comeback shows, including one at Co-op Live arena – a gig which the venue has already teased earlier this week.
Confirming the reunion on social media on Thursday, 10 October, the band said: “Exciting news, for the first time in over a decade, we will come together again, live next May across the UK and Ireland.
“And for the first time ever, our debut album Scissor Sisters will be performed in full in celebration of its 20th anniversary – alongside all the other Scissor hits from along the way… See you very soon. Jake, Babydaddy, Del.”
Long-time fans were quick to notice that there was no mention of fellow founding member Ana Matronic nor former drummer Randy Real; the band themselves told BBC that the current lineup following their indefinite hiatus is by no means a way of replacing anyone but does give them a chance “to get some people on stage and ask some friends to do fun things.”
Frontman Shears’ 2023 Cabaret co-star, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, was also teased with a possible appearance on the Scissor Sisters reunion tour. Either way, they’ve promised a “little bit of chaos, anarchy” and an “‘anything can happen’ energy again.”
It’s been 12 whole years since we last saw them out on the road, so it’s only fitting that they give us a dozen UK/IE dates, starting at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena before bringing the comeback party down the home stretch in Dublin.
Scissor Sisters are set to stun the Manchester crowd with their Co-op Live debut on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, with special guest support from Alison Goldfrapp of the iconic electronic music duo, and we truly really can’t wait to roll back the years with them.
Pre-sale goes live on Wednesday, 6 November at 10am which you can access via their website and general admission tickets will be available from the same time the following Friday, 8 November.
We can’t wait to hear all the favourites – ‘Filthy/Gorgeous’, ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin”, ‘Take Your Mama’ and more – but, until then, the announcements coming out of Manchester’s biggest new music venue just don’t stop…
Daisy Jackson -
20th March 2023 
