Female officer attacked by sword-wielding suspect 'could have nearly lost her ... trends now
A female police officer came close to losing her hand in yesterday's sword attack in Hainault but should be able to make a full recovery after 'years of physio', Sir Mark Rowley revealed today.
The Met chief said a male officer was left with severe injuries to his hand following the apparently random rampage. A 14-year-old boy was killed and two other people suffered serious injuries.
The 36-year-old suspect had rammed his van into a house near Hainault Tube station in Iford, east London, before slashing members of the public and police officers who responded to terrified 999 calls for help.
Sir Mark told LBC today: 'The first thing you have to say is for the parents involved, who've lost their 14-year-old, and that is just horrific, and it's everyone's worst nightmare. I'm sure we're all thinking about them.
'We were on the ground in 12 minutes, and he was detained after 22 minutes. Obviously some of the first contacts led to officers being very severely injured.'
The suspect holding a sword while prowling the streets of Hainault yesterday
He said one male officer has serious injuries to his hand, while a female colleague was in surgery for several hours yesterday after suffering 'horrifically serious' wounds to her arm.
'People say officers run towards danger. What you've actually seen on some of the videos that are sort of around social media and on news sites such as your own, you actually see what that really looks like. You've got officers running towards someone who's waving a sword,' Sir Mark said.
He said the surgeon is 'increasingly optimistic' the female officer could make a full recovery but could take years of care and physio.
Chilling CCTV footage captured the knifeman prowling the streets of the London suburb before setting upon innocent passers-by during a 22-minute ordeal.
The teenage victim – who neighbours said was the youngest of three from a respected, church-going family – was rushed to hospital, where he was later declared dead.
Door camera footage showed the dramatic moment the suspect was finally arrested on a driveway of a semi-detached house after being Tasered by a female officer. Armed officers arrived on the scene seconds later.
The suspect had earlier reportedly been heard screaming 'Does anyone here believe in God?' at emergency service workers.
A neighbour yesterday paid tribute to the schoolboy victim, telling the Mail: 'He is a nice, quiet boy. He does not play out, but stays at home. His family are very nice, respectable. They go to church and go out together as a family.'
It was reported last night that the boy went to private school and was wearing his sports clothes at the time of the stabbing. Police said yesterday they did not believe the attack was 'targeted' or terror-related.
Doorbell footage shows a pedestrian being hit by a van as it ploughs across the pavement into a house on the corner of New North Road and Laing Close
Sir Mark appeared on LBC to give an update about his officers this morning
A police forensics officer investigates the scene of the van crash on the corner of Laing Close and New North Road in Hainault today
Residents described how they saw a man in a yellow hoodie top 'covered in blood' outside their homes yesterday morning. James Fernando, 39, said
