The 36-year-old was alleged to have attacked members of the public and two police officers before eventually being arrested. The Metropolitan Police were alerted to the incident shortly before 7am this morning.
Fire and rescue crews as well as a number of ambulances were also dispatched to the scene. London Ambulance Service said they treated five people at the scene, and took all five to hospital.
Reports, footage and eyewitness accounts of the attack circulated across social media:
Four people stabbed and slashed by a man carrying a samurai sword in Hainault station in Redbridge Essex this morning.
Some reports are saying the attacker is 15 years old.
Not a chance. pic.twitter.com/JRIdoP5llj
— Tommy Robinson (@TRobinsonNewEra) April 30, 2024
BREAKING
Video of the attacker in Hainault this morning. He allegedly waited outside houses and attacked random residents. pic.twitter.com/VmaNvU1VOZ
— Paul Golding (@GoldingBF) April 30, 2024
4 people severely injured or killed at Hainault station, where a 15 year old wielding a machete has attacked and maybe killed 4 civillians #london #hainault #essex #morning
“He come up to me and tried to kill me” a bystander said pic.twitter.com/2jLieTGl3w
— Dimz (@Dimerz100) April 30, 2024
A 13-year-old boy has since been confirmed to have died.
BREAKING: A 13-year-old boy has died in the Hainault sword attack
Read more: https://t.co/mQF5BRxqUV
Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/zmVIblx83K
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 30, 2024
The man’s motivations for carrying out the attack remain unclear. Meanwhile, British Home Secretary James Cleverly asked people not to discuss the incident online until further information is obtained.
“I am being regularly updated about the incident at Hainault Station this morning,” he wrote on the X platform. “My thoughts are with those who have been affected & thank you to the emergency responders I would urge people not to speculate or share footage online and provide relevant information to the police.”
