British photojournalist stabbed to death by son
A British war photographer has been stabbed to death in California, with his teenage son arrested on suspicion of murder, police have said.
Mr Paul Lowe, a photojournalist who covered conflicts including the siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian war, was found dead at a popular hiking trail in the San Gabriel Mountains on 12 October.
He had been stabbed in the neck, records at the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner show.
Lowe’s 19-year-old son, Emir, has been charged with one count of murder and is set to make his first court appearance, Wednesday, October 16, at the West Covina Courthouse.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said, “The homicide bureau presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing considerations today.
“The District Attorney’s office filed one count of murder on suspect Emir Lowe for the murder of his father Christian Paul Lowe.
“There is no additional information at this time.”
The alleged attack happened at around 3.28pm on Mount Baldy Road, near Stoddard Canyon Falls.
A statement from the sheriff’s department said officers responding to an assault with a deadly weapon call found a “white male adult suffering trauma to his upper torso”.
It added, “San Bernardino Fire Department personnel responded and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
“A white male adult was seen driving away from the scene and was subsequently involved in a solo traffic collision a few miles away. The male was detained pending further investigation.
“The investigation is ongoing and there is no additional information at this time.”
Meanwhile, King’s College London, where Mr Lowe was a visiting professor in war studies, said the award-winning photojournalist would be “deeply missed”.
A statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, read: “It is with deep sadness that we received the news of Professor Paul Lowe’s passing.
“Paul was a Visiting Professor in the Department of War Studies, a Professor of Photojournalism at the University of the Arts London, and an award-winning photojournalist with VII Academy. A friend, colleague and collaborator whose work had a huge impact in shining a spotlight on the Siege of Sarajevo and addressing its legacy, we were privileged to work with him on several projects related to art and reconciliation.
“His boundless energy, warmth, creativity, initiative and enthusiasm were contagious and uniquely inspiring. He will be deeply missed.
“We send our deepest condolences to his family at this difficult time”.