A 14-year-old boy was tragically killed by a man wielding a sword in Hainault, London.
The suspect managed to evade capture by hopping and navigating rooftops but was eventually apprehended and brought down to the ground 22 minutes after the initial emergency call was made.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the boy, who was still wearing his school uniform, had passed away. A video captured the courageous encounter between police officers and the suspect, which was recorded by a Ring Doorbell.
The police were notified at approximately 7am about a vehicle being driven into a house in the Thurlow Gardens area. The man got out of the vehicle with a Samurai sword and began attacking people. Four additional individuals were quickly transported to the hospital following the thrashing of his sword. It appears to have been a random attack.
Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe expressed her condolences to the family and friends of the 14-year-old boy who tragically passed away at the scene.
A neighboring resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, reported that five officers were restraining the man on the ground while he was yelling.
Footage captured in Redbridge, near Essex, depicts the man brandishing the sword as he paces outside a property and then crouches down in the garden.
The underground has been closed for the entire morning due to the critical incident. Two police helicopters were sent out and continued to circle ahead this morning. A resident witnessed a distressing scene as she sought refuge by her window, observing the lifeless figure of the boy on the ground while the man brandishing a sword vociferously questioned others about their faith in God.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, expressed his sympathy for the young child and his family and commend the bravery of the emergency services who worked to manage the situation. He also requested residents in Hainault to share any recorded footage from their phones or doorbell cameras with the police.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his shock at the incident and emphasized that acts of violence should not be tolerated in society.
