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A 13-year-old boy has died and four others taken to hospital after members of the public and police officers were attacked in Hainault by a man wielding a sword in Hainault, northeast London.
Officers were called shortly before 7am to reports of a vehicle being driven into a house in the Thurlow Gardens area, with reports that people had been stabbed.
Four people remain in hospital with injuries believed not to be life-threatening. Both police officers will require surgery, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 36-year-old man has been arrested and police said they were not looking for further suspects. The incident did not appear to be terror-related, nor is there believed to be an ongoing threat to the wider community, police said.
One man spoke of how the suspect was involved in a stand-off with police in an alleyway in the Thurlow Gardens area, before hearing a “huge commotion” and a woman screaming.
“This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned. I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan.
Injured police require surgery as four in hospital
Two members of the public remain in hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Two police officers are also in hospital. Both require surgery but their injuries are also not believed to be life threatening, said Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell.
Boy, 13, killed in attack
A 13-year-old boy has died from their injuries, police have said.
He was taken to hospital after being stabbed and died a short time after, said Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell.
Neighbours hail police officer who tried to stop alleged attacker
Neighbours hailed the actions of a female police officer who tried to stop the alleged attacker.
Robert Harrison, 71, who was woken by screaming outside his house on New North Road, told The Independent that he heard a man who was “really agitated shouting and swearing” and that “loads of people came out to have a go at him”.
“There was a policewoman by herself trying to stop him,” he said, adding: “He lunged towards her and she sprayed him with something. She was trying to stop him from getting to the train station.”
What are the latest figures on knife crime in London?
Knife crime offences in London recorded by the Metropolitan Police rose year on year in the latest figures, but have not yet returned to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some 14,577 offences were recorded in the 12 months to December 2023, Home Office data shows.
This is up 20 per cent from 12,119 in the previous 12 months, but is slightly below the 14,680 in the year to March 2020.
Of the 49,489 knife crime offences recorded in England and Wales in 2023, 29 per cent were by the Metropolitan Police, a higher proportion than any other force.
Police statement delayed
An expected update from the Metropolitan Police at the scene of the stabbing in Hainault has been delayed.
Police were due to give a statement at midday, which is now expected to potentially come at 12:30pm.
Moment man wields sword as seven people injured in Hainault stabbing
Eyewitness footage shows a man wielding a sword in Hainault on Tuesday.
Latest images from the scene at Hainault
Here are the latest pictures from the scene at Hainault:
Local resident describes watching ‘surreal’ attack unfold
One local resident told The Independent they woke up to “the sound of a huge crash” caused by “a van that had driven straight into the side of the house opposite” his.
He described watching the events unfold and seeing “people running and screaming”, adding: “It’s all so surreal for a Tuesday morning.
“I was in my house watching out my window the whole time so I never personally felt worried but kids were on the way to school and my neighbours were on the way to work.”
Suspect ‘Tasered after trying to enter house'
The suspect was Tasered by police, an eyewitness has claimed.
“There was about seven or eight police cars entering that road and after another 10 minutes, I saw the guy running towards the station and entered the road opposite the station,” he told Radio 5 Live.
“He tried to get into one of the houses but couldn’t get into it and that’s when they Tasered him.”
Sunak hails ‘bravery’ of emergency services
Rishi Sunak has paid tribute to the bravery of emergency services who responded to the attack in Hainault.
Speaking at the Society of Editors conference in central London, he said: “I’d like to give my thanks to the emergency teams that are responding and to pay tribute to their bravery.”
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2024-05-01 00:00:00Z
CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWsvY3JpbWUvaGFpbmF1bHQtc3RhdGlvbi1zdGFiYmluZy1zd29yZC1sb25kb24tcG9saWNlLW5ld3MtYjI1MzY5OTYuaHRtbNIBAA
