Hainault Station, which is in east London, has been locked down as officers carry out an urgent investigation nearby - commuters can't access Central Line at the station
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Hainault: Knifeman wields blade on residential street
A 13-year-old boy has died after a man was seen prowling the streets with a sword.
Earlier today poilice swarmed a London Underground station forcing it to close following reports of a stabbing after a man was "seen walking around with a sword".
Metropolitan Police said officers were called to reports of a vehicle being driven into a house in Hainault, north east London, at around 7am today followed by people being stabbed in the area. The suspect attacked five people, including members of the public as well as two police officers. London Ambulance Service confirmed the injured were rushed to hospital.
Transport for London’s website confirmed Hainault Tube station, located on the Central Line, is closed “due to a police investigation in the area” and commuters were urged to re-plan journeys and avoid the area. Images on social media show a man in a yellow jumper walking on the pavement with what police have described as a sword. A 36-year-old man has been arrested and is in custody, police confirmed.
Wes Streeting, shadow health secretary and MP for Ilford North, said in a post on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter: “I want to thank the emergency services for their response to the horrific incident in my constituency this morning, particularly the heroic Metropolitan Police officers who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others. They are the best of us.
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“My prayers are with those who’ve been injured and their loved ones. I know there will be widespread fear and alarm in our community, but the police have made an arrest and are not looking for other suspects. I am liaising closely with the police, the mayor of London and the London Borough of Redbridge, and will keep local residents updated.”
Aerial photographs of the scene showed a van cordoned off behind police tape near people's homes in the area. The rear doors have been left open of the vehicle.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: "This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned. I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm. People will want to know what has happened and will we provide more information as soon as we can.”
Police say they do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the wider community and are not looking for more suspects. The incident does not appear to be terror-related.
London mayor Sadiq Khan, said: “I am absolutely devastated by the news from Hainault this morning. I remain in constant contact with the Commissioner. A man has been arrested and the area secured.
"The police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident. There will be additional reassurance patrols in the area.
“The police officers and emergency services showed the best of our city - running towards danger to protect others and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I would urge people not to speculate until the details of this incident are confirmed by the police and avoid posting footage on social media.
“If you have any information at all, please contact the police urgently on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111. There is no honour in staying silent. Those affected in the local area, including witnesses, can also call Victim Support on 0808 1689 111.”
A witness described seeing a stand-off between police and the suspect in an alleyway before hearing a woman scream. He added: “I also heard the words ‘he’s got a massive knife’, or ‘he’s got a massive sword’, then he disappeared down this alley and then he was out of sight.
“They (the police) went into the alley and there seemed to be some sort of a stand-off there where I heard this huge commotion, then I heard a scream. From that commotion at least one person was knifed – I think it might have been a woman because I heard a woman scream and then some sort of sobbing sounds. I then heard a voice say something like ‘she’s been stabbed in the face’ or ‘we need assistance’ – you know, calling for medical back-up.”
Another witness described hearing shrieking at about 7am before witnessing a man dressed in yellow jumping over some fences. He said: “I heard shouting, I heard shrieking – I thought ‘who would be shrieking at this time in the morning?’
“I looked out the back window because the noise was coming from back there, I saw a bloke dressed in yellow jumping over some fences … then he went down an alley like he was going back onto the street again. I saw a policeman and policewoman – normal coppers with the short-sleeved shirts – who chased after him and they were shouting for him to put it down.”
Witness Peter Kingdom, 56, an IT analyst from Hainault, said: “As I was walking to the station, I saw an ambulance heading towards the scene and another leaving. The road was blocked either side of the station entrance and all transport in the area was suspended.
"There was a helicopter circling the area. I didn’t see the man, just the ambulances, police, etc. I wasn’t concerned at first, but was a bit anxious to get back home after finding out what had happened.”
Another resident told MyLondon: “We were so shocked. And there are safety concerns obviously, lots of children live around here. I’ve lived here for 10 years and I’ve never seen anything like this round here.
"It was very scary. From the pictures I’ve seen and the weapon he’d been carrying, it was absolutely frightening.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer said of this morning's incident: "Awful news coming from Hainault. Our thoughts are with the victims. Thankful for the first responders on the scene."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak added: "This is a shocking incident. My thoughts are with those affected and their families.
"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. Such violence has no place on our streets."
Local Daniel Garfinkle told MailOnline: “I woke up at 7am to lots of shouting. There was a guy outside covered in blood, near the station and outside my home.
“Police were trying to calm down the man who carried out the stabbing but he went towards the station. He kept shouting.”
The London Fire Brigade said it was called to assist, adding: "Firefighters were mobilised to assist police and London Ambulance Service colleagues at an incident near Hainault underground station. Crews supported London Ambulance Service crews in the provision of immediate emergency care.
“The brigade was called at 7.35am and the incident was over for firefighters by 9.25am. Fire crews from Dagenham, Walthamstow, Ilford, Romford, Hainault, East Ham and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.”
