Moment woman is arrested in Covent Garden
ByJames W KellyLondonNisha PatelReporting fromreporting from Covent Garden and Amy Clarke
A 47-year-old woman has been arrested after four men were stabbed in Covent Garden in central London, the Metropolitan Police said.
The men, aged 34, 39, 42 and 52, were taken to hospital after emergency services were called to reports of a stabbing in Endell Street at about 12:30 BST.
The force said two men remain in hospital with injuries not thought to be life threatening or life changing while the other two have been discharged.
The woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. The Met said it was believed to have been a mental health-related incident.
Ch Supt Jason Stewart said: “Officers responded within minutes of this incident after receiving a number of reports.
“While still at an early stage of the investigation, we would like to reassure the community that we currently believe this to be an isolated, mental-health related incident.”
He added a “visible police presence” would remain in the area while evidence was gathered.
Watch: The London Air Ambulance was part of the emergency response but all victims were taken to hospital by road
Crowds looked on as London Air Ambulance landed in nearby Trafalgar Square as part of the emergency service response but the victims were all transported to hospital by road.
A cordon that started at High Holborn and covered the St Mungo’s homeless centre on the street has now been removed.
A police cordon was taken down after 15:00
A spokesperson for St Mungo’s said they “could not confirm whether anyone from St Mungo’s is involved at this stage”.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this distressing incident.
“We are working closely with emergency services on site,” they added.
Officers had been seen speaking to people before they entered the centre.
Arjan Gjorga, who manages a fish and chip shop nearby, said he saw the woman being arrested
Arjan Gjorga, who manages a fish and chip shop on Endell Street, said a woman had “started stabbing random people”.
The 48-year-old added: “We saw this lady after a few minutes being arrested – the police responded immediately.”
Another witness, who does want to be named, said they saw the stabbings take place outside the Shaftesbury Theatre before the woman made her way down Endell Street.
The witness, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “We noticed she stabbed three people with scissors by the theatre then she came down here and the police were here.”
An employee at a nearby barber shop said they helped one of the victims call the police after they had been stabbed.
The worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “One of the victims ran into the shop to call the police.
“He was traumatised, he was panicked but the police turned up very quickly.”
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