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30th April 2024
01:03pm BST
A 14-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a man with a sword in London.
On Tuesday morning, a critical incident was declared at Hainault tube station in the north-east of the capital after several people were attacked by a man with a samurai sword.
In an update on Tuesday afternoon, Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell told reporters a teenage boy had died from his wounds in hospital.
Ch Supt Bell said the teenager's family are being supported by local specialist officers.
A 36-year-old man has been arrested and police are not looking for any other suspects in relation to the incident.
"Everyone at the Met is keeping them in their thoughts at this unimaginably difficult time," Ch Supt Bell said.
He added the events are "horrific" and police are trying to ascertain "the full facts as a priority".
The boy was among five injured in the attack, two of which were police officers. Ch Supt Bell said the other four victims were in hospital but that their injuries are not life threatening.
He said: "Two members of the public remain in hospital but these are not life threatening.
"Two police officers remain in hospital with serious injuries which will require surgery but these are also not deemed to be life threatening."
Ch Supt Bell thanked all those who responded to the attack for their bravery.
He told the families of those injured that police "will find out" why the "terrible incident occurred", adding that he was "committed to providing those answers when we can."
He asked for "patience" while police carry out their investigation.
When asked by reporters, Ch Supt Stuart Bell did not comment on whether the suspect had previously been arrested. He said police do not believe it was a targeted attack.
On Tuesday morning, a critical incident was declared in Hainault after a man carrying a ‘samurai sword’ crashed a vehicle into a house in Thurlow Gardens, before stabbing a multiple people.
Police rushed to the scene shortly before 7am.
After crashing the vehicle, the ‘sword-wielding attacker’ stabbed members of the public and two police officers before he was arrested.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has sent his condolences to the family of the 13-year-old who died in the attack.
He said in a statement: "I'm sure I speak for the entire city when I say our thoughts are with this young child and his family.
"It breaks my heart not only that this child has lost his life, but two members of our emergency services have risked their own safety to make sure others weren't injured."
