West End police officers were stabbed as they searched for a man who was warned by passers-by that he might be in possession of a knife. The pair had been called to Shaftesbury Avenue to attend to a woman who had allegedly been assaulted in a nightclub, a source said. While she was being treated at around 6am on Friday, a passer-by alerted them to a knife-wielding man walking through the heart of the West End. The suspect was reportedly cooperating with the investigation and had his hands out until he pulled out a knife and stabbed them both before fleeing. Other officers arrived and the suspect fell to the ground and was taken into custody.
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A young female police officer suffered a serious stab wound to the arm which Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said could change her life. Horrifying footage showed the moment police bandaged the second male officer in various places after he was stabbed three times in the neck and once in the chest. He is expected to make a full recovery. Coroners work at the scene where two police officers were stabbed near Leicester Square in London / REUTERS The pair were attacked after going to stop the suspect near the junction of Shaftesbury Avenue and Great Windmill Street. The incident is not being treated as terrorist. A man believed to be in his 20s was arrested at the scene. Hotel worker Arunas Ambrulevius, 34, told the Standard: “The police had taken the knife from his hands. It fell to the ground but then grabbed it and walked towards them. One of them had an arm injury, the other seemed much less serious. “The police were fighting against the odds because he had a knife. It’s terrible what happened to the officers.” A builder who had just arrived for work nearby said: “There were police everywhere, I thought there had been a terrorist incident. “I saw a guy being held and two police officers on the ground. It looked like a lot of blood and serious injuries.” Two policemen were stabbed and are currently in hospital. / Nick Edwards A police cordon has been erected around the area as detectives search for evidence. A worker at Piccadilly Circus tube station said: “There is a lot of crime and drugs going around here, especially in the early hours of the morning. “It is a den of thieves. I saw two cops on the ground and cops everywhere. One of them said that colleagues were attacked. It looked bad.” Criminologists in the West End / PA Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cuddy called the stabbing “a terrible event”. He said the attack in the Leicester Square area was not thought to be linked to terrorism or the Queen’s death. Mr Cuddy said: “It is a terrible event. We don’t believe it’s related to terror, and we also don’t believe it’s currently related to the events that happened this week.” A police spokesman said earlier: “A Taser was deployed and a man was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and assaulting an emergency worker. He was taken to a hospital for treatment where he remains at this time.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he had spoken to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley about the “horrific” attack and that the officers’ condition was thankfully not life-threatening. He said: “These two officers are in our thoughts and prayers. Thankfully it’s not life-threatening, but it’s a reminder of the dangers police officers across our country face every day when they wear their uniforms. The good news is that a man has been arrested.” In a statement, he added: “These brave officers were doing their duty and helping the public at this critical time for our country. “My thoughts and prayers are with them, their loved ones and fellow police officers following this disgraceful attack. “Our police officers run into danger to protect others and keep us safe, and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude.” PA Ken Marsh, chairman of the Police Federation, said: “This highlights the bravery of our officers running towards danger. “With all the challenges of policing during this time with the events surrounding the Queen, our officers are out there without fear or favour. These were unarmed officers challenging a man with a knife.” Nickie Aiken, Cities of London & Westminster MP who covers Soho, said she was “appalled” to learn of the “horse attack”. “Every day police officers across the country put themselves forward to keep us safe. They run towards danger as we run away from it,” he said. “ “We owe them all our thanks for their duty and bravery. An attack on one officer is an attack on all of us.”
