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| London knife attack: victim tried to warn others as she lay dying | London knife attack: victim tried to warn others as she lay dying |
| (21 days later) | |
| The American woman who was one of the six victims of a 19-year-old attacker in London died while being cradled in the lap of a Spanish tourist who had tried to save her – shouting to a passing cyclist: “Call someone, call an ambulance.” | The American woman who was one of the six victims of a 19-year-old attacker in London died while being cradled in the lap of a Spanish tourist who had tried to save her – shouting to a passing cyclist: “Call someone, call an ambulance.” |
| Darlene Horton, an American woman in her 60s, died after being stabbed in what police described as a “spontaneous attack”, with the victims selected at random. | Darlene Horton, an American woman in her 60s, died after being stabbed in what police described as a “spontaneous attack”, with the victims selected at random. |
| The teenage attacker, a Somali who came to Britain from Norway aged five, was arrested on suspicion of murder after being Tasered fleeing from the scene near Russell Square in Bloomsbury, central London shortly after 10.30pm when he went on the rampage. | The teenage attacker, a Somali who came to Britain from Norway aged five, was arrested on suspicion of murder after being Tasered fleeing from the scene near Russell Square in Bloomsbury, central London shortly after 10.30pm when he went on the rampage. |
| Scotland Yard said no evidence has been found of radicalisation or anything to suggest the man in custody was “in any way motivated by terrorism”. | Scotland Yard said no evidence has been found of radicalisation or anything to suggest the man in custody was “in any way motivated by terrorism”. |
| Eyewitnesses told how the attacker lashed out against victims in a sweeping motion. One witness said the woman who died tried to warn others their lives could also be in danger. | Eyewitnesses told how the attacker lashed out against victims in a sweeping motion. One witness said the woman who died tried to warn others their lives could also be in danger. |
| “I was just trying to console her,” one of those who tried to help the woman said. “She said something about: ‘He’s still here, he’s still here’ – after that she was not lucid. That’s when I saw someone. He was meandering about. He was very disturbed.” | “I was just trying to console her,” one of those who tried to help the woman said. “She said something about: ‘He’s still here, he’s still here’ – after that she was not lucid. That’s when I saw someone. He was meandering about. He was very disturbed.” |
| Fernando, a Brazilian cyclist who came to her aid, said a family of four Spanish tourists were screaming for help. “They were shouting: ‘Call someone, call an ambulance.’ One of the Spanish family was comforting the older woman. I thought they were friends, but then I realised that they were just passing. No one knew each other.” | Fernando, a Brazilian cyclist who came to her aid, said a family of four Spanish tourists were screaming for help. “They were shouting: ‘Call someone, call an ambulance.’ One of the Spanish family was comforting the older woman. I thought they were friends, but then I realised that they were just passing. No one knew each other.” |
| He said the man had carried out the attack in silence. “He did not shout anything,” he said. “The moment the police arrived, they asked them if the man had been shouting. They said that he didn’t say anything. They said that when he stabbed the people he didn’t shout or scream anything.” | He said the man had carried out the attack in silence. “He did not shout anything,” he said. “The moment the police arrived, they asked them if the man had been shouting. They said that he didn’t say anything. They said that when he stabbed the people he didn’t shout or scream anything.” |
| Israeli victim Yuval Labkovsky, 18 – who had been out for dinner with her grandfather, told how she approached the attacker as he was fleeing. She mistook him for a victim and ended up being stabbed herself. | Israeli victim Yuval Labkovsky, 18 – who had been out for dinner with her grandfather, told how she approached the attacker as he was fleeing. She mistook him for a victim and ended up being stabbed herself. |
| “I was sure that the two men fleeing from the event were victims,” she said. “I went to help the first one of the men and felt pain in my hand. | “I was sure that the two men fleeing from the event were victims,” she said. “I went to help the first one of the men and felt pain in my hand. |
| “I thought I just got hit, but it turned out he was stabbing me. The other man chasing him was trying to stop him, and in the end managed to catch him,” she told Y Net, an Israeli media outlet, adding: “Suddenly I discovered that I was bleeding. I looked and saw that the attacker stabbed me in the hand as I was running. | “I thought I just got hit, but it turned out he was stabbing me. The other man chasing him was trying to stop him, and in the end managed to catch him,” she told Y Net, an Israeli media outlet, adding: “Suddenly I discovered that I was bleeding. I looked and saw that the attacker stabbed me in the hand as I was running. |
| Eyewitnesses said armed police were on the scene within minutes and had sealed off the area to help the wounded. “[Medics] tried to revive the woman covered in blood, but she had lost a lot of blood and within minutes she was dead,” said Labkovksy. | Eyewitnesses said armed police were on the scene within minutes and had sealed off the area to help the wounded. “[Medics] tried to revive the woman covered in blood, but she had lost a lot of blood and within minutes she was dead,” said Labkovksy. |
| The attacker ran off in the direction of Bloomsbury Square while another man gave chase, one witness said. | The attacker ran off in the direction of Bloomsbury Square while another man gave chase, one witness said. |
| Jodie Parry, who was in her hotel room when she heard a “commotion” in the street, told the BBC that the attacker ignored police as they screamed at him to stop running. “He was running down the street,” she said. “He was turning to see if the police were coming close. | Jodie Parry, who was in her hotel room when she heard a “commotion” in the street, told the BBC that the attacker ignored police as they screamed at him to stop running. “He was running down the street,” she said. “He was turning to see if the police were coming close. |
| “I could hear the policeman screaming: ‘Stop, don’t move, don’t go any further, just stay where you are,’ and he turned around and continued running. He just wasn’t prepared to stop. He was actually carrying a knife in his hand and he had blood on his hands.” | “I could hear the policeman screaming: ‘Stop, don’t move, don’t go any further, just stay where you are,’ and he turned around and continued running. He just wasn’t prepared to stop. He was actually carrying a knife in his hand and he had blood on his hands.” |
| He collapsed after being Tasered to the ground and searched by a team of eight officers. | He collapsed after being Tasered to the ground and searched by a team of eight officers. |
| The horror unfolded 14 hours after Metropolitan police had unveiled the first in a squad of 600 armed officers they plan deploy across the capital to protect it against attacks. | The horror unfolded 14 hours after Metropolitan police had unveiled the first in a squad of 600 armed officers they plan deploy across the capital to protect it against attacks. |
| Paul Ó Geibheannaigh, 45, a local resident, said he got to Russell Square 45 minutes after the incident after a night out at the cinema. | Paul Ó Geibheannaigh, 45, a local resident, said he got to Russell Square 45 minutes after the incident after a night out at the cinema. |
| The atmosphere was “intense”, with “20 or 30 police vans” but, unusually there was nothing on social media when he got home. | The atmosphere was “intense”, with “20 or 30 police vans” but, unusually there was nothing on social media when he got home. |
| “It was really busy and no one knew what was going on, until I went home and checked Twitter,” he said. “I didn’t know at the time there had been other people injured. | “It was really busy and no one knew what was going on, until I went home and checked Twitter,” he said. “I didn’t know at the time there had been other people injured. |
| “People were standing around talking, no one knew what had happened but there was a body on the street. People were shocked. This is a well-heeled area but there’s nothing you can do about it, if it happens it happens. If someone comes at you in the street with a knife there’s nothing armed police can do about it. You’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.” | “People were standing around talking, no one knew what had happened but there was a body on the street. People were shocked. This is a well-heeled area but there’s nothing you can do about it, if it happens it happens. If someone comes at you in the street with a knife there’s nothing armed police can do about it. You’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.” |
| Russell Square is also one of London’s prime tourist spots with thousands of hotel rooms for under £100 a night and was teeming with tourists in the summer peak season. | Russell Square is also one of London’s prime tourist spots with thousands of hotel rooms for under £100 a night and was teeming with tourists in the summer peak season. |
| The area remains haunted by the bus bombing of the 7/7 terrorist attack in 2005, which took place only metres away from the scene of Wednesday’s stabbing. | The area remains haunted by the bus bombing of the 7/7 terrorist attack in 2005, which took place only metres away from the scene of Wednesday’s stabbing. |
| Less than 12 hours after the attack, there was little sign of any disturbance apart from intense media presence and a handful of flowers where the woman had died. | Less than 12 hours after the attack, there was little sign of any disturbance apart from intense media presence and a handful of flowers where the woman had died. |
| At 9am the police forensics team had left, their tent was dismantled and the pavement cleaned by a team who hosed down the street. | At 9am the police forensics team had left, their tent was dismantled and the pavement cleaned by a team who hosed down the street. |
| “I feel mixed, having lived in the local area for a long time I think back to the 7/7 attacks but we don’t really know what this guy’s motives were,” said local resident Helen Edwards. “Living in central London, there’s always something in the back of your mind, you live with the threat of terrorism or crime.” | “I feel mixed, having lived in the local area for a long time I think back to the 7/7 attacks but we don’t really know what this guy’s motives were,” said local resident Helen Edwards. “Living in central London, there’s always something in the back of your mind, you live with the threat of terrorism or crime.” |
| London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, called for vigilance. “The safety of all Londoners is my number one priority and my heart goes out to the victims of the incident in Russell Square and their loved ones,” he said. | London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, called for vigilance. “The safety of all Londoners is my number one priority and my heart goes out to the victims of the incident in Russell Square and their loved ones,” he said. |
| American-born local resident Cynthia Petrow, 60, who lives in Russell Square, was close to tears when walking her dog in the square on Thursday morning. | American-born local resident Cynthia Petrow, 60, who lives in Russell Square, was close to tears when walking her dog in the square on Thursday morning. |
| “This is my neighbourhood park,” she said. “I am out walking now and the thing that makes me saddest is that some woman is dead, but at least it was one person with a knife and not, where I am from, someone with an AK47. I am very sad about it. | “This is my neighbourhood park,” she said. “I am out walking now and the thing that makes me saddest is that some woman is dead, but at least it was one person with a knife and not, where I am from, someone with an AK47. I am very sad about it. |
| “My husband is a survivor of 9/11, so I take great joy in the very very boring things. I am going to keep doing my life otherwise …” | “My husband is a survivor of 9/11, so I take great joy in the very very boring things. I am going to keep doing my life otherwise …” |