- A man wielding a sword stabbed a teenage boy, two police officers, and two others in east London.
- Paramedics transported all five victims to the hospital, where two police officers awaited surgery for "significant" injuries.
- Police in England, Scotland, and Wales carry Taser weapons to disable suspects.
The man used what appeared to be a Samurai-type sword in the Hainault district shortly before 7:00 am (0600 GMT). Police used Taser stun weapons to arrest a 36-year-old man and took him into custody, as confirmed by authorities.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, from London’s Metropolitan Police, confirmed that paramedics transported all five victims to the hospital.
He added that the two police officers were awaiting surgery for "significant" injuries. However, authorities believe that the injuries sustained by them and the two members of the public are not 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 told reporters at the scene.
Paramedics took him to the hospital after a stabbing, and he sadly died a short while later.
Bell described the incident as "truly horrific" and stated that specialist officers were providing support to the boy’s family. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak labeled the stabbings as "shocking." He added, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that "Such violence has no place on our streets."
“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.”
Social media footage and photographs depicted a man in a yellow jumper on the streets near houses with the weapon.
Emergency service teams, including police, fire, and ambulance crews, positioned themselves behind cordons, including near the town’s underground railway station.
One resident, who requested anonymity, stated that she hid behind a window while the suspect was outside her home, shouting "Do you believe in God?" at police.
She added, “We were very scared, 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.”
“We were very scared, and we didn’t know what to do.”
Another witness reported seeing two police officers chasing the man, shouting at him to put down the weapon.
Police in England, Scotland, and Wales do not routinely carry firearms but do carry Taser weapons to disable suspects.
“The police officers and emergency services showed the best of our city — running toward danger to protect others and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” he said.
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