Police officers who responded to a sword attack in London suffered “terribly serious injuries” – one of them came close to losing his hand, the head of the Metropolitan Police said.
A 14-year-old boy died and four other people were injured in the attack in Hainault on Tuesday morning.
Police said they do not believe it was a targeted or terrorist-related attack and are working to establish the circumstances of what happened.
Police were initially called to the scene at around 7am. with footage showing several police officers arresting a man after he was electrocuted.
Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said officers “arrived on the ground within 12 minutes” and that “some of the initial contacts led to officers being seriously injured”.
Speaking on LBC this morning, he added: “I was speaking to the family and colleagues of the police officer who has a very damaged arm, seriously damaged, the surgeon spent many hours basically putting the arm back together.”
Police shock sword-wielding attacker in Hainault. Photo: PA
Asked about reports she almost lost her hand in the attack, Sir Mark said they were “less than a million miles away”.
An inspector also suffered a serious injury to his hand while responding to the incident, with Sir Mark adding: “I saw him before the operation, he was in good spirits, I think part of it is because of the morphine, to be honest.”
Sir Mark would not confirm whether the two officers at the hospital were seen tasing the attacker.
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The Met chief added that the 36-year-old suspect was detained after 22 minutes.
Dramatic footage showed the moment he was electrocuted in a garage before several officers with batons approached him after he fell to the ground.
The words “suspect restrained” are eventually heard as a police officer pulls out the attacker’s sword.
Sir Mark said this morning: “People say police officers run towards danger.
“What you’ve actually seen in some of the videos going around on social media and new sites like yours, you really see what this really is like. You have police officers running towards someone who is brandishing a sword. “
Police said the suspect crashed a van into a house near the metro station in Hainault before stabbing several people.
The man is now in hospital due to injuries he suffered in the crash, police said.
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