Two teenage boys who were 'stabbed to death' in Essex at the weekend have been pictured for the first time, as eight men are held on suspicion of murder.
Heartbroken family and friends visited a makeshift memorial for the two 16-year-olds, named locally as Frankie Gater and Charlie, in Brentwood earlier today.
Detectives launched a double murder investigation and are still questioning eight men aged 19 to 49 following the suspected stabbing at the weekend.
Essex Police said officers found three people injured after receiving a number of calls to Regency Court at around 1.30am on Sunday. Two of those have since died while the third was treated for non-life threatening injuries, the force added.
Tributes are now flooding in for the 'much loved' pair of 16-year-olds, with Frankie's cousin Charlie Gater writing on Facebook: 'Words can't describe how sad I feel for your mum and dad Frankie. Rest in paradise.'
She added on Instagram: 'It's physically causing me pain I've lost my cousin. I can't believe you're gone it seems like I'm lost in a nightmare. Our whole family love you Frankie Gater.
'Rest in perfect paradise. You always made me laugh and I'd be so excited to see your face. Your smile lit a light in my soul whenever I heard your name. You was one of a kind Frankie Gater, there is no other like you. I'm sorry you didn't get to see the rest of life.'
Another friend of the boys added: 'Words can't explain how I feel about losing my brother and you to Frankie, forever be in my heart.'
Heartbroken family and friends visited a makeshift memorial for the two 16-year-olds, named locally as Frankie Gater (left) and Charlie (right), in Brentwood on Monday
Family and friends have visited the makeshift memorial where two 16-year-old boys were 'stabbed to death' in Essex on Sunday morning
Police conduct a fingertip search where two teenage boys died from stab wounds in the early hours of Sunday morning at Regency Court, Brentwood in Essex
The Mayor of Brentwood, Ms Olivia Sanders, also arrived at the site to lay flowers with the message 'From the residents of the Borough of Brentwood'
Police said officers found three people injured after receiving a number of calls to Regency Court, Brentwood, at about 1.30am on Sunday. Two of those have since died while the third was treated for non-life threatening injuries, the force added
One of Charlie's friends said: 'I promise you I'm gonna make you so proud and I will always be thinking of you Charlie. You was honestly so loved by everyone and you and Frankie of all people did not deserve this. We had our whole future planned together and I'm gonna go and do them just like you're with me still.'
A third victim was treated for injuries after the knifing - which police say are not life-threatening or life-changing.
Detectives are 'working to establish how the boys died' and post-mortem examinations will take place. It is understood that the teenagers suffered suspected stab wounds.
A neighbour at the scene said he heard shouts and someone 'yelling out in pain' from the scene of the suspected double murder, and claimed he tried to warn police about anti-social behaviour weeks earlier.
'There's constant anti-social behaviour, drinking, drugs, shouting, fighting,' Mark MacIntosh told reporters. 'I've heard people saying ''I'm going to kill him'' up there.
'I've come down and broken up a knife fight down at the bottom here before. I realise that what I heard was somebody yelling out in pain who may have lost his life shortly thereafter.'
Police said officers found three people injured after receiving a number of calls to Regency Court, Brentwood, at about 1.30am on Sunday
Eight men - including two aged 40 and 49 - have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are still being held by detectives
Scared locals warned police about violence and anti-social behaviour near the Essex scene where the 16-year-olds were stabbed to death
Another resident from South Street, who asked not to be named, said their thoughts are with the loved ones affected.
They told Essex Live: 'You feel for the family - some poor mother has had her world destroyed. We have always had noise and what-not from the clubs and kids coming up and down but I wouldn't expect this.
'I feel sorry for the people, their parents and their families. Some poor mother has a broken heart today.'
On Sunday, Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings said that there had been an altercation between 'two groups' who 'knew each other'.
Essex Police Detective Chief Inspector Mark Barber said the horrifying incident was 'probably a targeted attack' and was an isolated incident.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Truss, said: 'Our team is continuing to
