An MP has praised the 'extraordinary courage' of local people who intervened during a stabbing attack in north Belfast. John Finucane, the MP for North Belfast, said he believes their selfless actions may have saved the life of the victim, a man in his 40s, during the incident in the Kinnaird Avenue area on Monday night.
A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Footage circulating online shows individuals, including one wielding a hurling stick, stepping in to stop the attacker in the residential area near the busy Antrim Road.
Heroic Intervention
Mr Finucane expressed his gratitude to those who intervened, stating: 'They showed extraordinary courage and bravery to step in, to put themselves in danger to save, I think possibly, a man's life because of their selfless acts. I want, on behalf of everybody I'm sure, to thank them for that.' He made these comments to the Press Association at the scene on Tuesday morning.
Community in Shock
The MP said his thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, his family, and friends, but also with residents who witnessed the incident, police who arrived at a horrific scene, and first responders from the Ambulance Service. He described the area as a quiet residential neighbourhood, 'a very normal part of Belfast,' where residents woke on Tuesday to find 'something so horrific had taken place on their doorstep.'
'It was absolutely shocking for them, they are now witnesses in a live police investigation into an attempted murder,' he added.
Trauma and Support
Mr Finucane noted that residents are 'naturally traumatised and upset' by the incident. 'There were people returning from work, there were people who happened to pass by, there were those who intervened, and they are quite naturally traumatised and upset. They find themselves, in a fairly quiet neighbourhood, now the focus of both local and international media attention.'
'They will need all of the support that they can get in the time ahead, and they need to be free to provide their evidence to the police, so police have the strongest evidence to ensure that somebody is charged, brought before our courts and feels the full weight of our criminal justice process,' he concluded.
