Metropolitan Police provide a statement on the Hainault stabbings, confirming a 13-year-old boy has died in the attack.
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and two police officers today in the East London community of Hainault before being arrested, police said.
Five people have been taken to hospital. The incident is not being treated as terror-related.
Video posted to social media shows a man in a yellow top carrying a large knife. He appears to be going door-to-door, crouching outside people’s windows about 7am local time.
Footage posted on social media appears to show a man wearing a yellow hooded jacket carrying a large blade being approached by police officers in Hainault
A witness said he heard shrieking before seeing a man dressed in yellow jumping over some fences.
“I heard shouting, I heard shrieking - I thought ‘who would be shrieking at this time in the morning?’
“I looked out the back window because the noise was coming from back there, I saw a bloke dressed in yellow jumping over some fences.
“I saw a policeman and policewomen - normal coppers with the short-sleeved shirts - who chased after him and they were shouting for him to put it down.”
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: “This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned. I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm. People will want to know what has happened and we will provide more information as soon as we can.”
He added that police do not believe there is a threat to the wider community.
“We are not looking for more suspects,” he said. “This incident does not appear to be terror-related.”
Forsige Breaking News is reporting a 36-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing attack “aimed at innocent people”.
The area in London where police say a man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and two police officers on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in the east London community of Hainault before being arrested. Photo / Peter Kingdom via AP
In a post to social media, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he is “absolutely devastated” by the incident in Hainault.
”A man has been arrested and the area secured. The police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.”
Khan said police officers and emergency services “showed the best” of London, running towards danger to protect others.
“I would urge people not to speculate until the details of this incident are confirmed by the police and avoid posting footage on social media.”
In a statement, police said they were called shortly before 7am to reports of a vehicle being driven into a house in the Thurlow Gardens area.
“At this time we understand the suspect went on to attack other members of the public and two police officers. We are awaiting an update on the conditions of those injured.”
Five people have been taken to hospital following the attack, a London Ambulance Service spokesperson told The Telegraph.
A witness who live outside Hainault station told Mail Online they woke at 7am to “lots of shouting”.
”There was a guy outside covered in blood, near the station and outside my home.
”Police were trying to calm down the man who carried out the stabbing. But he went towards the station. He kept shouting.”
