A 14-year-old boy was killed and four other people were injured on Tuesday April 30, 2024 in east London by a man armed with a sword, quickly arrested by the police. At this stage, the terrorist act is still ruled out, reports theAFP. Besides the person arrested, no person is wanted by the police. Here’s what we know about this London attack at this time.
The attack began “shortly before 7 a.m.”
In a press release, the police specified that they had been called “shortly before 7 a.m.” in this area of north-east London, near Hainault tube station, with witnesses saying that “people had been stabbed”.
Images posted on social media and picked up by British media show a slightly bearded white man, dressed in black pants and a yellow hoodie, sword in hand, walking erratically in front of houses, while cars police surround the scene.
Witnesses said they heard screams and screams. A resident told the PA agency that she saw a body on the ground from inside her apartment and heard the man shouting several times to the police. ” Do you believe in God ? »
36-year-old man arrested, no other suspects
A 36-year-old man armed with a sword was arrested shortly after “and is currently in detention”said the police, specifying that he had been hit by an electric pulse gun and arrested “22 minutes later” the first call to the police.
The investigation is in its early stages but authorities are not looking for any other suspects, Mr. Bell said, paying tribute to the “incredible courage” police and emergency services.
The attack comes against a backdrop of an increase in stabbing attacks in the United Kingdom and two days before local elections in the British capital, where the conservative opposition is very critical of the security record of Labor Mayor Sadiq Khan.
A 14-year-old boy dies, four people injured
“It is with great sadness that I can confirm that one of those injured in the attack, a (14) year-old boy, has died” after his transport to hospital, local police official Stuart Bell announced in a statement to the press, describing the attack as “really horrible”.
He also specified that the four injured people, including two police officers, had been hospitalized but that “their lives did not appear to be in danger”. Two of them are still in hospital, he added.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said “absolutely devastated” by this attack.
“We do not believe the threat persists” in the neighborhood and “we are not looking for other suspects”said Ade Adelekan, a police official quoted in a press release.
Charles III was keen to provide support to families
Charles III also heard about this drama and was keen to speak on the subject, through the spokesperson for Buckingham Palace, reported Rebecca English, journalist for the Daily Mail on X (ex-Twitter) .
“Following the horrific scenes in the Hainaut district this morning, the King has asked to be kept fully informed as details of the incident become clearer. »
In another tweet, the specialist in English royalty added: “His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected, in particular the family of the young victim who lost his life, and he commends the courage of the emergency services who helped to contain the situation. »
The Prime Minister denounces a “shocking incident”
Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak denounced a “shocking incident”. “My thoughts are with those affected and their families”he wrote on X, adding that“Such violence has no place in our streets”.
On Monday, Rishi Sunak said the increase in stabbing crimes in London “highlighted the reality of the Labor Party” when he is responsible. The government promised last year to ban certain types of knives or machetes, without realizing its ambition for the moment.
Stabbing attacks are on the rise in the United Kingdom, where mobilization is increasing to ask the government to act. According to official figures, they increased by 7% last year to almost 50,000 in England and Wales.
In London, they skyrocketed by 20% with 14,577 attacks recorded, returning more or less to their level before the Covid-19 pandemic. Eighteen miners were killed last year. The subject is an angle of attack for the Conservatives against the Mayor of London, currently campaigning for a third term.
