Brave members of the general public and market workers allegedly halted the knife-wielding assailant during today’s grim knife attack which left one dead and two people in hospital.
Metropolitan Police rushed to East Street Market in Walworth, south London, after receiving reports of a stabbing incident. Upon arrival, they discovered three victims, with one tragically pronounced dead at the scene. Two others, a man and a woman, were urgently transported to hospital for medical attention. The suspect, believed to be a man in his 60s, was detained by police following the valiant intervention of several market workers who confronted him.
Shopkeeper Wasim Hussain recounted the bravery he saw during the terrifying ordeal, stating: “They just put him down, and they waited for the police. It was the general public they work in the market, most of them.”
(Image: PA)
A police cordon remains around East Street, restricting access to numerous stalls as the investigation continues to identify the deceased and notify next of kin, reports the Mirror .
Commander Peter Stevens expressed sympathy for the victims, saying: “Tragically, a man lost his life this morning, and officers are working hard to establish exactly what happened and to provide support to his family. My thoughts and sincere sympathies are with them, and with the other people injured. Our investigation is at a very early stage.”
“One man was rapidly arrested by officers responding to the incident. At present, although enquiries are ongoing, nobody else is sought. The incident is not being treated as terrorism. Enquiries continue, led by dedicated detectives from Specialist Crime. I want to thank those people who have already shared their accounts of what they saw with police.”
(Image: PA)
In the aftermath of the shocking incident, local residents have voiced their fears about letting their children out in the area. Siraj, 46, a local resident who did not wish to disclose his surname, was walking through East Street Market in Walworth at the time of the incident.
He followed the flurry of police cars and ambulances to the scene where he saw two injured individuals on the ground.
“It was terrifying,” he said of the incident, adding that he felt fortunate that the victims were not his own children. Siraj expressed that the area has “always been safe” but the recent stabbing has left him feeling anxious about the safety of his family.
He added: “I feel unsafe to send my kids to school now.”
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