13-year-old-boy killed, 4 others injured in sword rampage at London underground station
April 30 (UPI) -- A 13-year-old boy was killed and four other people, including two police officers, were seriously injured in a sword attack at a subway station in London during Tuesday morning's rush hour.
Police were called to a report of a vehicle being driven into a house in the northeast of the capital shortly before 7 a.m. local time by a man who then went on a stabbing rampage attacking members of the public and two police officers at a nearby tube station, Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
"It is with great sadness we can confirm following a serious incident in Hainault this morning a 13-year-old boy has died. He was taken to hospital after being stabbed and sadly died shortly afterwards," Met Police Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said.
The London ambulance service said that five people, including a teen, had been taken to the hospital.
Two members of the public were hospitalized with what authorities believed were non-life-threatening injuries. Two Met officers were also still hospitalized with "significant injuries" from stab wounds that will require surgery but were also not expected to be life-threatening.
Bell said police used a stun gun on a 36-year-old man who was arrested 22 minutes after the initial call.
He added there police did not believe there was any ongoing threat and that the suspect acted alone.
"We are not looking for more suspects and this incident does not appear to be terror-related," Bell said.
Police said the station had been closed and that they and emergency services were maintaining a large presence at the scene and surrounding area.
The Met pledged to get answers for the victims' families and praised the bravery of police and other emergency services, including paramedics.
"This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned. I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm," said deputy assistant commissioner of police Ade Adelekan.
"People will want to know what has happened and will we provide more information as soon as we can."
Video of the incident circulating on social media showed a man with a long bladed weapon, that looked like a sword.
Mayor Sadiq Khan called the attack heartbreaking.
"I am absolutely devastated by the news from Hainault this morning," he said in a statement posted on X.
"The police officers and emergency services showed the best of our city -- running toward danger to protect others and I thank them from the bottom of my heart," said Khan who is also the capital's top policing official.
