A 47-year-old woman has been arrested after four men were stabbed in a chaotic incident in central London's Covent Garden on Wednesday. Police described the attack as an "isolated, mental health" incident.
The victims, aged 34, 39, 42, and 52, were taken to hospital. Two remain with injuries not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing, while the other two have been discharged.
Attack on Endell Street
Emergency services were called around 12.30pm to reports of stabbings on Endell Street. One witness, who did not want to be named, said they saw the stabbings outside the Shaftesbury Theatre before the woman made her way down Endell Street.
The witness said: "We noticed she stabbed three people with scissors by the theatre then she came down here and the police were here."
Arjan Gjorga, who manages a fish and chip shop in Endell Street, said the victims were "random people who were just walking by". He told the Press Association: "She just started stabbing random people. I didn't see any scissors, but I heard it was with small scissors."
An employee at 2 Chairs Grooming Room, a barber shop on Endell Street, said they helped one of the victims call the police. The employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "One of the victims ran into the shop to call the police. He was wearing a shirt and had a hole in his back. He was traumatised, he was panicked but the police turned up very quickly."
Emergency services respond
The four men were swiftly discovered with stab wounds and assessed at the scene by paramedics. Mr Gjorga added: "We saw this lady after a few minutes being arrested – the police responded immediately."
Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. She remains in custody. A pair of scissors were recovered at the scene.
According to witnesses, the woman arrested was homeless and regularly seen in the surrounding area. Matt Bishop, 42, who works at a consultancy firm next to the cordon, said he saw a woman having a "stand-off" with three police officers and waving a weapon around. He said: "I didn't see the stabbing. I saw her running down the road towards the crossroads. She looked quite old, short hair. There was a bit of a stand-off with three police officers. She didn't seem to be particularly coherent. She was pretty incoherent in what she was shouting, the officer was asking what language she was shouting."
Victims rushed to hospital
A London Air Ambulance helicopter landed in nearby Trafalgar Square as part of the emergency response, but it was confirmed that the four patients were treated at the scene before being taken to a major trauma centre as a priority by road.
A large police cordon was put up from High Holborn to the St Mungo's homeless centre in Endell Street, where officers were speaking to people before they entered the building. The cordon was removed at around 3.30pm.
Ch Supt Jason Stewart said: "Officers responded within minutes of this incident after receiving a number of reports. While still at an early stage of the investigation, we would like to reassure the community that we currently believe this to be an isolated, mental-health related incident."
A spokesperson for St Mungo's homeless charity said they "could not confirm whether anyone from St Mungo's is involved at this stage". The spokesperson added: "Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this distressing incident. We are working closely with emergency services to ensure that all of the people we support, in addition to our colleagues, are safe and accounted for."
