5 folks have been wounded by a person wielding a sword in east London, police stated.
A teenage boy died on Tuesday after a person wielding a sword stabbed the youth, two police and two different folks, in a road assault in east London, police stated.
The man used what gave the impression to be a Samurai-type sword within the Hainault district shortly earlier than 7:00 am (0600 GMT).
Police stated they arrested a 36-year-old man utilizing Taser stun weapons and took him into custody. The incident is just not believed to be terror-related, they stated.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, from London’s Metropolitan Police, stated all 5 victims have been taken to hospital.
The two cops have been awaiting surgical procedure for “significant” accidents, he added. But they, and people sustained by the 2 members of the general public, weren’t believed to be life-threatening.
“It’s with great sadness that one of those injured in this incident, a 13-year-old boy, has died from their injuries,” he informed reporters on the scene.
“He was taken to hospital after being stabbed and sadly died a short while after.”
Bell known as the incident “truly horrific” and stated specialist officers have been supporting the boy’s household.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak known as the stabbings “shocking”. “Such violence has no place on our streets,” he added in a publish on X, previously Twitter.
“I’d like to thank the emergency services for their ongoing response, and pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery shown by police on the scene.”
Video footage and pictures posted on social media appeared to point out a person in a yellow jumper on the streets close to homes with the weapon.
Emergency service automobiles, together with police, fireplace and ambulances, have been seen behind cordons, together with close to the city’s underground railway station.
– Hiding –
One resident, who requested to not be named, stated she hid behind a window whereas the suspect was exterior her house shouting “do you believe in God?” at police.
“We were very scared and trying to hide and not show ourselves through the window because he was standing right next to our house and he could have seen us if he looked up,” she added.
“We were very scared and we didn’t know what to do.”
Another witness stated he noticed two police chasing the person, shouting at him to place down the weapon.
Police in England, Scotland and Wales should not routinely armed however do carry Taser weapons to disable suspects.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan stated he was “absolutely devastated” by the incident and was in shut contact with the town police commissioner.
“The police offices and emergency services showed the best of our city — running towards danger to protect others and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” he stated.
Last week, Sunak criticised the mayor’s document on knife crime within the British capital.
According to official statistics, knife crime elevated in London by 20 p.c in 2023, with 14,577 offences — one p.c decrease than pre-pandemic ranges within the yr to March 2020.
In England and Wales as a complete, there was a seven-percent improve in knife crime to 49,489 offences, with most (29 p.c) in metropolitan areas, the Official for National Statistics stated.
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