Horror words of ‘sword attacker’ revealed as he ‘murdered boy, 14,’ & injured 4 while locals cowered behind locked doors
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.
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.
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 almost had his hand severed.
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.
What we know so far…
- Cops raced to Hainault around 7am after car driven into house
- Reports of five stabbed – including two cops
- Hainault Tube Station closed around 7.30am
- Shocking videos show sword-wielding man on street
- Suspect, 36, arrested and remains in custody
- Ambulance say five people raced to hospital
- Boy, 14, confirmed dead
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.
“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’.”
HORROR RAMPAGE
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 named the boy as Joshua and said he came from a Nigerian family.
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.”
This is an incident that has clearly shocked everyone
AC Louisa Rolfe
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.
“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.”