Swordsman, 36, 'screamed "does anyone believe in God" at emergency workers' ... trends now

A swordsman reportedly screamed 'does anyone believe in God?' during a 'random' rampage which saw a 14-year-old boy tragically killed and two police officers seriously wounded.

The 36-year-old suspect had rammed his van into a house near Hainault Tube station early this morning before allegedly slashing at members of the public and police officers who responded to terrified 999 calls for help.

Chilling CCTV footage captured the knifeman prowling the streets of the London suburb before setting upon innocent passers-by with his huge blade during a 22-minute reign of terror.

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 who bravely ran towards him. 

During the rampage the suspect was allegedly heard screaming at emergency service workers 'Does anyone here believe in God?' after a teenage boy was fatally stabbed.

The youngster – described by neighbours as the youngest of three children from a respected, church-going family – was rushed to hospital, but was declared dead from his severe injuries.

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. 

Residents yesterday described how they saw a man in a yellow hoodie top 'covered in blood' outside their homes around 7am yesterday morning.

James Fernando, 39, said the man had asked a woman to speak to someone on his phone, but she fled when she realised she was in danger.

Mr Fernando said: 'Within two seconds after that she realised something isn't right, started running and he's pulled a samurai sword from the back of his trousers.

'She's shouted to the other neighbour – a Nigerian boy who was on his way to school.

'As he's turned around, he's struck him on the face.

'It was quite traumatising now. I can't stop envisioning the boy's face.

'He was running around, still after the police officers came, with the sword in his hand looking for victims.'

David Maguire, 38, who works in security in Canary Wharf, said he was travelling to Hainault Tube station when he saw a man 'holding his neck [with] blood coming out his fingers'.

He told The Times: 'There were so many people running towards the station trying to get away from danger. No one knew what was going on.'

A resident who lives across the road from the vicious attack described how she saw a man leaving a house covered in blood as police arrived.

Gana Ignat said: 'I saw something happen outside and heard screams, I didn't understand what had happened and thought it was a child.

'My daughter came into my room and said 'mum, mum something is happening outside'.

'I went outside and the police shouted 'no, no please go back in your house' because he is dead.

'I went back into the house, on the second floor, and I saw through the window a man in a yellow hoodie running quickly through the car park outside, through a garden and past another house.

'I saw the man running away and after that I don't know, I saw all the police and a helicopter.'

Another neighbour described hearing a 'terrified scream' and shouting before watching police cordon off a nearby road.

New North Road resident Ray Leigh Mason, 44, said 'I heard a shout, something along the lines of "there's nothing you can do mate", then screaming.

'The shouting must've been around 06.50am and at the time of it occurring, I wrongly assumed it was neighbours arguing, which quite often happens at all hours.

'I should've been up earlier and likely would be outside as it happened, but I stayed in bed an extra 15 minutes.

'I looked out of the window to see the police arriving and cordoning off the road. I was told to stay inside, which I did for some time. I then needed to leave for work but with the station closed, I was escorted away down New North Road and needed to walk to Fairlop station.'

A resident in Thurlow Gardens, who wished to remain anonymous, said the suspect was tasered in his garden.

They said the man jumped over the fence before being held down by police, and the householder had submitted CCTV to the authorities.

The resident's neighbour, who also wanted to remain anonymous, witnessed the arrest, saying: 'I heard police sirens and then the car stopped here for three seconds, which was a bit odd. I opened the door and I could see armed police officers.

'I saw a gentleman, a white guy, running, being chased by the police.

'He went into that driveway and he was being tasered, being told to stop, then he jumped into that other neighbour's driveway there.

'He was being tasered, went to the floor with all the armed police officers around and he was subdued there for half an hour.'

Another different local told The Sun that he saw a man covered in blood standing by his front door. 

Peter Rollison said: 'I live in Laing Close and made my way to Hainault Station this morning.

'There were a lot of police cars around the corner from me. I stopped from a distance to look at all the commotion, then continued with my journey.

'There was a man in his home with his door open, his hand and arm covered in blood.'