Student, 18, Stabbed to Death While Celebrating End of the Semester in England

An 18-year-old man died after being stabbed multiple times during a night out, and now his family is paying tribute. 

Henry Nowak suffered a puncture wound to his chest and two more wounds to the back of his leg after an altercation with two men he didn’t know in Portswood, England, according to a news release from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. 

Nowak, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was from Essex and lived in Southampton while attending college, his family revealed in a tribute shared with the police on Sunday, Dec. 7.

“Our kind, intelligent, and talented son was in his first year at Southampton University studying Accountancy and Finance,” the family wrote. “He’d smashed his A-levels and was fully embracing university life, joining not one but two football teams, making new friends as well as working part-time at the local Morrisons.”

The family said Nowak was “loved by all those that knew him,” as he was remembered as a son, brother, cousin, grandson, nephew and friend. “He was an all-round top lad and everyone who was lucky enough to share his company thought the same,” they wrote. 

“He went on a night out with his new football teammates, celebrating the end of their first semester at uni. Devastatingly, he never made it home,“ the family said.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the investigation is ongoing and encouraged those with information about the incident to reach out.

In an earlier news release, police said they were notified of the altercation around 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. Four Southampton residents were arrested on suspicion of murder, including a 22-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 51-year-old man and 52-year-old woman.

PEOPLE reached out to The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary for additional information about the suspects on Sunday, Dec. 7, but did not hear back. 

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Investigating officer DCI Rebekah Bartholomew said in the Dec. 4 release, “We are in the early stages of our investigation, and my team [is] working hard to piece together the exact circumstances and understand the moments that led up to the call to us.”

Bartholomew added that she believes “this to be an isolated incident.”

In the family’s tribute to Nowak, they said they are “heartbroken.”

“Our hearts ache when we think of the bright future he had ahead of him, full of opportunity and adventures,” they wrote. “There are no words to describe just how heartbroken we are that we will never get to see him grow and [fulfill] his awesome potential. We are so proud of him and all he achieved. Our world will never be the same without our amazing Henry.”