POLICE are investigating the death of a 14-year-old boy whose lifeless body was discovered behind a shop in Matthew’s Ridge, North West District on Thursday morning.

Dead is Joseph Bumbury, a student of Matthews Ridge Secondary School and resident of Pakera Matthews Ridge, North West District.

The alleged perpetrator was apprehended hours later and reportedly confessed to the crime.

Reports are that the teen and his cousin were attacked on Wednesday night. His cousin is currently hospitalised with stab wounds at the Pakera Hospital.

Reports are that a passerby discovered the teen’s body close to the shop. The young man’s death has left the community in shock as he was described as a quiet person.

According to investigations, the teenager and his cousin were imbibing at a shop in Matthew’s Ridge and minutes after midnight, someone approached the teen and dealt him several cuffs about the body.

The teen’s cousin then approached the suspect and told him to desist from hitting the teen but the perpetrator got annoyed and pulled out a metal object from his waist and stabbed him.

The attacker then turned his rage to the teen and dealt him a stab to his body and fled the scene.

When police arrived at the scene, the teen was discovered at the back of the shop lying face down in black pants, a black jersey and a black pair of slippers.

The body was taken to the Matthews Ridge Hospital mortuary where it is awaiting an autopsy.

The perpetrator allegedly told police that the teen and his cousin attacked him first and he retaliated.

Police have recovered the murder weapon as they continue their investigation.