A 13-year-old boy is dead and four others are injured, including two police officers, after a man armed with a sword allegedly began attacking people in London early Tuesday, April 30.
The Metropolitan Police said officers responded shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday to a report that a vehicle was driven into a house in the Thurlow Gardens area of Hainault, in east London, and that people had been stabbed, Knewz.com has learned.
The suspect, wielding a sword, allegedly attacked members of the public including two police officers.
"A 36-year-old man is currently in custody. He was tasered and arrested 22 minutes after the first call to police was received," Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said in a statement.
The London Ambulance Service said it treated five injured people, including two police officers, and transported them to the hospital. One of the injured, a 13-year-old boy, died at the hospital, police said.
"The child’s family are being supported by specially trained officers. Everyone across the Met is keeping them in our thoughts at this unimaginably difficult time," Bell said.
"The other two members of the public remain in hospital and thankfully their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The two Met officers are also in hospital with stab wounds. Both require surgery and have significant injuries but these are not life-threatening," Bell said.
Police said the incident "does not appear to be terror-related," and there is no ongoing threat to the community.
"The events of this morning are truly horrific and I cannot begin to imagine how all those affected must be feeling. My thoughts are with the injured, their families and the wider community as we all begin to come to terms with what has happened," Bell said.
"I know that there is an understandable desire for answers and an explanation about what happened. Our investigation is in its very early stages and my officers are working to establish the full circumstances as a priority," Bell said.
Police are asking anyone with information that could assist their investigation to call 101.
—TMX contributed to this report.