Police have released bodycam footage showing the moment an Afghan refugee and Uber driver was tasered after allegedly killing a dog walker in a random knife attack. Dawood Safi, 28, was arrested following the death of 49-year-old Wayne Broadhurst in Uxbridge, west London, on October 27 last year.
Attack Details
Mr Broadhurst sustained 14 stab wounds to his head, neck, chest and back during what prosecutors described as a "vicious and ferocious" attack. Witnesses reported that Safi appeared "like he was possessed" during the incident. The victim, a street sweeper for Ealing Council and Liverpool FC supporter, was walking his dog Harry when he encountered Safi.
Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw KC told Southwark Crown Court that Mr Broadhurst had the "terrible misfortune" of passing the scene while the rampage was unfolding and was attacked without any apparent reason. He died in the street with his dog by his side.
Police Bodycam Footage
The newly released video shows officers arriving at the scene and approaching Safi, who was still armed with the knife. Police repeatedly ordered him to "drop the knife" and "get on the floor," but he refused and retreated. An officer then deployed a Taser, causing Safi to fall to the ground, where he was searched and handcuffed.
The footage also includes a security camera angle from a nearby property showing the same sequence of events.
Previous Incidents
Before the fatal attack, Safi had allegedly stabbed his landlord, Mr Farrukh, 45, in the neck. Mr Farrukh and an injured teenager managed to escape as neighbours and passersby attempted to intervene. The court heard that Safi had been experiencing a "collapse in his mental health" leading up to the stabbings.
During the three days prior to the attack, Safi had visited his GP, undergone a mental health assessment at Hillingdon Hospital, and sought assistance at Hayes Police Station. He told a psychiatrist that he witnessed his father's murder during a land dispute in Afghanistan when he was 10 years old.
Legal Proceedings
Safi arrived in the UK concealed in a lorry in 2020, falsely claiming to be 17, and was granted asylum in 2022. He admitted manslaughter in connection with Mr Broadhurst's death but was also convicted of attempting to murder his landlord. He pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm, wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon.
Jurors could not reach a verdict on a charge of attempting to murder a 14-year-old boy during the rampage, and the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to pursue a retrial. The judge adjourned proceedings for sentencing on October 5, ordering medical assessments in the meantime. Mr Broadhurst's family had wanted a murder conviction, but prosecutors accepted the lesser plea due to evidence of Safi's mental state.
