A 14-year-old boy has been killed and several other people have been injured after a man ran amok with a samurai sword in a suburb of east London.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, of the Metropolitan Police, said five people were also injured in Tuesday morning’s attack in Hainault.
He said a 36-year-old man, who has not been named, was tasered and arrested.
Mr. Bell said the incident was not terror-related but he described it as a targeted attack.
Two police officers suffered “significant” wounds which require surgery but Mr. Bell said they were not life-threatening.
Two residents also suffered injuries which were not deemed to be life-threatening.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the incident was “shocking” and added, “Such violence has no place on our streets.”
The police were initially called to reports that a vehicle had been driven into a house.
Police Confirm Death ‘With Great Sadness’
“It is with great sadness that I confirm one of those injured in the incident, a 13-year-old boy, has died from their injuries. He was taken to hospital after being stabbed and sadly died a short while after,” he added.The police later corrected the boy’s age and said he was 14.
Mr. Bell said the boy’s family were being supported firstly by my specialist officers.
He refused to comment on speculation that the attacker had been recently arrested for another matter.
A witness to the attacks, James Fernando, 39, claimed the suspect asked a neighbour to, “take the telephone from him to tell whoever was on the phone his location.”
He said, “Within two seconds after that, she’s realised something isn’t right, started running and he’s pulled a samurai sword from the back of his trousers.”
‘I Can’t Stop Envisioning the Boy’s Face’
He said: “It’s quite traumatising now. I can’t stop envisioning the boy’s face.”Mr. Fernando said, “He was running around, still after the police officers came, with the sword in his hand looking for victims.”
Another witness, who declined to be named, said he saw a man dressed in yellow jumping over fences and heard someone shout, “he’s got a massive knife.”
A video shared on social media showed a man in a yellow hoodie brandishing a knife or sword in his right hand.
Hainault is a quiet suburb in the Ilford North constituency which is best known only for its Tube station, which is at the eastern end of the Central Line.
The local MP, Wes Streeting, said: “Our whole community will be devastated by the heartbreaking news that a 13-year-old boy was killed in the horrific sword attack in Hainault this morning that saw four others injured, including two Metropolitan Police officers.”
“I can’t imagine what that poor boy’s family are going through and they have my deepest, heartfelt condolences. My prayers are also with the other victims of this horrific attack and their loved ones,” he added.
“I want to thank the emergency services for their courageous response, particularly the heroic Metropolitan Police officers who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others. They are the best of us,” added Mr. Streeting, who is the shadow health secretary.
He said, “I know there will be widespread fear and alarm in our community, but the police have made an arrest and are not looking for any other suspects. I am grateful to the police for their visible and reassuring presence in Hainault today.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said King Charles III had been informed of the incident and added, “His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected, in particular the family of the young victim who has lost his life, and he salutes the courage of the emergency services who helped contain the situation.”
