A 13-year-old boy has died in a terrifying sword attack in east London on Tuesday morning.
Police raced to the scene in Hainault after reports a van had rammed into a home and a sword-wielding suspect was prowling the streets.
The armed 36-year-old man, who was wearing a yellow hoodie, was later tasered by police and arrested.
Five people – including two police officers – were injured in the horrifying incident in the quiet residential area.
A 13-year-old boy has died following the terrifying sword attack.
Police are not treating it as a targeted attack, and do not believe it is terror-related.
This is how the terrifying sword attack unfolded:
6:54am: Police were called to Hainault in East London after reports that a van drove into a house and a sword-wielding suspect was spotted roaming the area.
7:00am: Neighbours wake to shouting and ‘piercing screams’. One neighbour told MailOnline of the moment the attacker ‘pulled a knife from his trousers’ and stabbed the young boy.
7:16am: The 36-year-old suspect was tasered and arrested just 22 minutes after the first call to police had been made.
7:30am: A critical incident is declared and Hainault Tube station is closed.
9:24am: London Fire Brigade declares that the incident is over.
9:56am: Keir Starmer tweets: ‘Awful news coming from Hainault. Our thoughts are with the victims. Thankful for the first responders on the scene.’
10.04am: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan releases a statement on X, thanking the police and emergency services ‘from the bottom of my heart’. He said: ‘I am absolutely devastated by the news from Hainault this morning.’
10.30am: London Ambulance Service confirms five people were rushed to hospital following the terrifying ordeal.
12.56pm: At a press conference, Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell confirms that a boy, aged, 13 was killed.
1:30pm: Sadiq Khan describes the stabbing in a video as ‘devastating and appalling’. He said: ‘I’m sure I speak on behalf of the entire city when I say our thoughts and prayers are with this young child and his family.’