ATTACKER'S SCREAMS
Horror words of ‘sword attacker’ revealed as he ‘murdered boy, 14,’ & injured 4 while locals cowered behind locked doors
Map reveals movements of attacker as he launched horror rampage
COPS screamed “Lock your doors!” at terrified residents when a sword maniac went on the rampage killing a boy of 14 and injuring four others yesterday morning.
The crazed man yelled “do you believe in God?” and lunged at targets during 21 minutes of bloody mayhem.
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Horrified witnesses said the teenage boy was covered in blood and "never stood a chance".
Police chased the attacker through gardens before he was floored by three 50,000-volt Taser bolts.
The attacker, wearing a yellow hoodie, carried on struggling as officers put him in their van.
A 36-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of murder. The suspect was last night under guard in hospital.
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He was injured when he crashed his Ford van into a house before the carnage in Hainault, North East London.
Police ruled out terrorism and were examining the suspect’s background to establish a motive.
They said the boy was not known to the attacker.
Two officers were injured trying to restrain the man. One female officer almost had her hand severed.
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This morning Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said one male officer has serious injuries to his hand, while a female colleague was in surgery for several hours yesterday after suffering "horrifically serious" wounds to her arm.
Speaking on LBC this morning, he added: "I was talking to the family and colleagues of the woman officer who has a really badly damaged arm, really seriously damaged, the surgeon spent many hours basically putting her arm back to together."
Sword-wielding Hainault 'killer' trapped me but I escaped – I tried to warn boy, 14, but it was too late to save him
Asked about reports she nearly lost her hand in the attack, Sir Mark said they were "not a million miles away".
Two wounded members of the public were also taken to hospital.
It is understood the suspect has relatives in Laing Close, where he crashed before getting out of the smoking van carrying the 2ft ornamental sword.
Witnesses said the boy was putting on headphones after leaving his home in the close and heading to school at around 6.54am.
James Fernando, 39, said the suspect had the “massive sword” in one hand and was using a phone with the other asking for the fire brigade.
He said the attacker stepped on a woman neighbour’s foot to stop her moving but she ran.
James added: “As the boy was ten metres from the door, the woman screamed to warn him that the man had a sword.
TRUE BRAVERY Heroism of Hainault police officers revealed
HAINAULT cops have been hailed heroes after they stopped yesterday's sword-wielding maniac - leaving two of them "seriously injured".
Two police officers, a man and woman, were still in hospital this morning after they were struck with the 2ft weapon.
The female officer is said to be close to losing her hand, while her colleague is thought to be on the mend after surgery on his.
But the pair's fellow cops have too been celebrated - after footage showed them running toward the alleged attacker, before Tasering him.
The man was arrested on suspicion of murder after a schoolboy, 14, died amid the rampage.
The Met Police officers arrived at the Thurlow Gardens area within 12 minutes of getting the first call - and had arrested the alleged killer 10 minutes later.
They have now been hailed heroes for putting themselves at risk for protecting their community.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley this morning said the female cop whose hand was almost severed and spent "many, many hours" on the operating table yesterday.
The cop told LBC: "So, we were on the ground in 12 minutes and he was detained after 22 minutes. Obviously, some of the first contacts led to officers being very severely injured.
"People say officers run towards danger. What you've actually seen on some of the videos that are out on social media and on news sites such as your own, you actually see what that actually looks like. You've got officers running towards someone who's waving a sword.
"I went to the hospital yesterday to see the officers and their families. I saw the inspector whose hand is badly damaged. I saw him before the operation, he was in good spirits. I think that was partly the morphine, to be honest. But he's got a lot of patching up to be done on his hand."
PC Rwoley added: "I find it humbling they will run towards danger, but that's not a glib phrase, that's real. They are charging twoards somebody with a sword.
"They are putting themselves at risk. [They do that] because they are so connected to the idea it's their job to protect the public and they do that day in and day out.
"Meanwhile, every day in London on average 19 officers are injured. Nineteen officers a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. That's the background."
“As he’s turned round he’s waved the sword and it struck him in the face. He was dead on the spot.”
Another added: “He was covered in blood. He never stood a chance.”
As cops swarmed to the scene, James said the attacker was still running around with the sword looking for more victims.
A video clip showed the first police car arriving and the maniac shouting: “Is there anybody here who believes in God?”
Commuters were arriving in the area at the time to get the Central Line Tube into London.
Resident Sandra, who lives next to the crime scene, told The Sun: “I left my house at 7.15am and saw the boy laying there in his uniform.
“Two officers doing CPR were saying ‘He’s gone, he’s gone’.”
It comes as...
- The alleged sword manic yelled yelled 'do you believe in God?' as he lunged at targets
- Horrified witnesses said the teenage boy was covered in blood and 'never stood a chance'
- Police chased the attacker through gardens before he was floored by three Tasers
- A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder
- He was injured when he crashed his Ford van at a pedestrian into a house
- Cops ruled out terrorism and are examining the suspect’s background
- Two officers were injured trying to restrain the man
Mum-of-two Amanda Trezza, 35, told how she “saw a lot of ambulances and bodies” on the ground as she looked out of her window after hearing sirens.
She walked her son to a bus stop for school. Amanda said: “I saw the boy being given CPR.
“He was wearing a school uniform with grey trousers and a white shirt.
“Then I saw an ambulance that was being prepared to take him away.
“My son saw what they were doing and started crying.”
Locals say the boy came from a Nigerian family.
Sadiq Khan accused of downplaying knife crime
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been accused of downplaying knife crime in the capital just days before the horrifying Hainault attacks.
He was last week challenged by Conservative rival Susan Hall over gang violence at night as cops report an all-time high in cases.
Mr Khan responded: "Stop watching The Wire – we’re not living in Baltimore, USA, in the noughties.”
A spokesman for Mr Khan said he was "challenging misinformation" and is looking to invest nearly £200m into policing following a surge in murders.
It comes as the Office for National Statistics (ONS), say 14,577 knife crimes were recorded by the Met Police in 2023.
Shockingly, that is the same as nearly 40-a-day. This was up more than 20 per cent compared to 2022 figures.
The spokesperson for the Mayor added: “Sadiq was challenging some of the misinformation being spread by some of his opponents about London, including footage of an attack in New York to try and paint a very bleak picture of London.
“Keeping Londoners safe is Sadiq’s number one priority, and he is investing a record £151 million in this year’s budget for policing and crime prevention and tackling the causes of crime by investing in youth clubs, against a backdrop of massive cuts by the Tory Government.”
However, critics of Khan have blamed the increase on the cuts to stop and searches in London.
Khan previously vowed to “do all in my power to further cut its use” after fears cops were using the power to disproportionately search ethnic minorities.
The Mayor said it was undermining the public's confidence in police.
He was said to have attended Bancroft’s School, in Woodford Green, where Nottingham attack victim Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, also went.
Another neighbour said: “I remember seeing him pretending to use the wheel of his dad’s new Toyota on the drive three or four years ago.
"I say hello to his parents. They are very nice people. It is awful.”
'LOCK YOUR DOORS'
Footage posted on social media showed the attacker fleeing the scene behind the back of Hainault Baptist Church.
He went into Franklyn Gardens and darted down an alleyway, where a second clip showed him clambering on to the roofs of garages.
He then dropped into the back garden of a home in Thurlow Gardens before leaping over several fences.
One resident was heard warning pursuing cops: “He’s got a massive knife.” Officers shouted: “Lock your doors.”
They could be heard yelling at the suspect: “Come here”, “Come this way” and “Drop the sword.”
Cops tried to stop him with pepper spray before cornering him in the driveway of a house in Thurlow Gardens, at 7.15am.
A policewoman fired the first of the three charges which floored him.
Video showed cops screaming at the suspect, “don’t move” after he was brought to the ground.
Neighbour Nagesh Katipally said police took the sword and wrapped the man in a sheet.
He added: “There was no blood on him. He was still alive and was showing resistance.
"Four officers took him into the van. It was like a big cloth he was wrapped in.
"They put it over his head then around his body, then they lifted it up and carried him away.
“I saw a police officer carrying the weapon after. It’s terrifying to see something like that even if it’s a police officer holding it.”
There was no blood on him. He was still alive and was showing resistance. Four officers took him into the van. It was like a big cloth he was wrapped in
Nagesh Katipally
Met Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe said of the suspect: “He has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
"At this time, given his injuries, we have been unable to interview him."
She said officers had been unable to confirm rumours that the police had previously had contact with the suspect.
AC Rolfe added: “As a matter of urgency, we are trying to understand exactly what happened and why.
“This was, and is, a fast-moving and complex incident and investigation and it will take us some time to establish the facts.
"This will be our priority in the coming days.
"With a suspect in custody, we are satisfied there is no threat to the community but this is an incident that has clearly shocked everyone.”
Chief Supt Stuart Bell said the boy died a short while after he was taken to hospital.
Both officers suffered “significant” wounds that require surgery.
CS Bell said none of the four wounded had life-threatening injuries.
KING'S SORROW
Knife crime has risen by 20 per cent in the capital over the last year.
Rick Prior, of the Met Police Federation, said: “The thoughts of all police officers in London are with the family of the boy who was killed today, and all those injured.
“This horrific incident is a sad reminder of the incredible bravery our officers display and the dangers they face to keep the public in London safe, day in and day out.”
King Charles expressed his sorrow over the shocking incident.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “Following the horrific scenes in Hainault this morning, The King has asked to be kept fully informed as details of the incident become clearer.
“His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected — in particular, the family of the young victim who has lost his life.
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"He salutes the courage of the emergency services who helped contain the situation.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the incident as “shocking”, adding: “Such violence has no place on our streets.”
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