British photojournalist allegedly stabbed to death by teenage son on California hiking trail

A British photojournalist was stabbed to death on a popular hiking trail in California and his teenage son was charged with murder.

Paul Lowe, an award-winning photographer who covered conflicts such as the Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War, was found dead in the San Gabriel Mountains on October 12.

The 60-year-old was fatally stabbed in the neck, County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner records show.

According to police, Mr Lowe’s 19-year-old son Emir was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder.

The teenager has been charged with murder and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday at the West Covina courthouse, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said: “The Homicide Unit today presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for review.”

“The public prosecutor’s office has brought charges against the suspect Emir Lowe for the murder of his father Christian Paul Lowe.

“There is no further information available at this time.”

According to police, the incident occurred around 3:28 p.m. on Mount Baldy Road near Stoddard Canyon Falls.

A statement from the sheriff’s department said officers responding to an attack with a fatal gun call found a “white male adult with trauma to his upper body.”

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 subsequently being involved in a solo driving accident a few miles away. The man was arrested pending further investigation.

“The investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time.”

King’s College London, where Mr Lowe was visiting professor of war studies, said the photojournalist would be “deeply missed”.

A statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, said: “It is with deep sadness that we have received the news of the death of Professor Paul Lowe.”

“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 at the VII Academy. A friend, colleague and collaborator whose work has had a major impact on the tour de force While we were exploring the Siege of Sarajevo and coming to terms with its legacy, we had the privilege of collaborating with him on several projects related to art and reconciliation.

“His boundless energy, warmth, creativity, initiative and enthusiasm were infectious and uniquely inspiring. We will miss him very much.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to his family at this difficult time.”