Hainault attack is second tragedy for school

Image caption, The independent day school is in Woodford Green

By Jess Warren, and Anna O’Neill and Azadeh Moshiri in Hainault

BBC News

The 14-year-old boy killed in a sword attack in north-east London attended the same school as one of the Nottingham stabbing victims, the BBC understands.

The teenager, who has not been named, died in Tuesday’s attack in Hainault.

He was a student at Bancroft’s, the independent day school in Woodford Green where Grace O’Malley-Kumar attended.

Her family sent their condolences to the family of the teenage boy.

Her mother, Dr Sinead O’Malley, said: “I don’t think there’s anything anybody can say that can really do anything to alleviate their hurt and their pain.”

A flag was seen flying at half-mast at Bancroft’s School on Wednesday.

During the attack in Hainault, four others, including two police officers, were injured.

A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The Met Police said he was injured and, due to his condition, had not yet been interviewed.

Image caption, Flowers have been left at the scene

The teenage boy died from stab wounds shortly after being taken to hospital. His family are being supported by specially trained police staff.

Speaking to LBC, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The first thing you have to say is for the parents involved, who’ve lost their 14-year-old, and that is just horrific, and it’s everyone’s worst nightmare.

“I’m sure we’re all thinking about them.”

Grace’s father Dr Sanjoy Kumar described the attack in Hainault as “horrific”.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, he said the grief likely felt by the 14-year-old’s family was “only felt by a few like us who have lost children in these absolutely appalling circumstances”.

Her mother said she hoped the family would heal in time.

The O’Malley-Kumar family are from Woodford Green, east London, which is about 15 minutes by car from Hainault.

Media caption, Watch: How sword attack carnage unfolded in Hainault

On Wednesday, Sir Mark said a female officer was “not a million miles away” from losing her hand after she was injured during the attack.

She suffered “horrifically serious” arm wounds and a male officer’s hand was also seriously injured, he added.

A surgeon spent “many, many hours basically putting her arm back together” and “based on what the surgeon was saying, we’re increasingly optimistic that with months and years, and lots of physio, full recovery might be possible”, he said.

“We were on the ground in 12 minutes, and he was detained after 22 minutes. Obviously some of the first contacts led to officers being very severely injured,” he sais, adding: “People say officers run towards danger. You’ve got officers running towards someone who’s waving a sword”.

Two other members of the public remain in hospital but their conditions are not considered to be life-threatening, police say.

Image source, PA Media

Image caption, Forensic investigators have been working at the scene in Laing Close in Hainault, north-east London

On Wednesday, a “vanload” of officers arrived at the scene, with at least 20 officers seen at the site by a BBC London reporter by 07:30 BST.

Their hi-vis jackets were “as far as they eye could see”, as officers spoke to people and worked to gather evidence.

A police cordon remained in place with officers stationed on New North Road, close to Hainault Underground Station.

Two buses that were stopped at the scene on Tuesday remain on New North Road as they cannot be removed from the cordon, while residents need to give their names to a police officer before being able to cross.

Media caption, Watch: Moment Hainault attacker appears to drive into person

A man carrying a bag of toilet roll and a woman walking her child to school have seen their names jotted down on a piece of paper.

A former police sergeant in Hainault told the BBC the neighbourhood was a quiet, residential area that would not expect to see an attack such as the one on Tuesday.

Police say they do not believe the incident was terror-related or targeted.

They were called to reports of a car crashing into a house and people being stabbed at about 07:00 on Tuesday.

The suspect was then seen leaping over people’s garden fences and walking around with a sword. He was eventually cornered and Tasered in a front garden.

In video obtained by the Press Association, the words “suspect contained” can be heard as a female officer pulls the sword away from the attacker.

Police said they were not looking for any more suspects.

In response to speculation about the man’s background including police contact with him, the force said police checks had found no trace of a prior incident involving the man.

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