Manhunt under way after four stabbed in London

LONDON: A police manhunt was under way on Sunday after a series of stabbings in north London. Scotland Yard officers were urgently trying to trace the single male suspect following four stabbings in the Edmonton area.The suspect is described as a black man, approximately 6ft 3ins, of skinny build and wearing dark clothing, possibly a hooded top. Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Smillie from North Area Command said: “Police are treating the four stabbing related incidents as potentially linked. The four victims are all from different backgrounds and appear to have been selected at random due to them being alone and vulnerable. There is nothing to suggest this incident is terror related.”Police said there was a lot of police activity under way to catch the suspect. “Extra resources have been called upon and are on the streets now working to keep the public safe and catch the individual responsible,” Scotland Yard said.The first stabbing took place at 7.02pm on Saturday at Aberdeen Road following reports of an assault. The 45-year-old victim sustained a stab wound to her back after being attacked by the man. She was taken to an east London hospital where she remains in a critical condition.The second incident took place four hours later at around 12.15am on Sunday morning with reports of a male suffering stab injuries in Park Avenue. Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and the male victim was taken to an east London hospital for treatment. His condition is not life threatening.The third incident on Sunday was at 3.55am with reports of a man stabbed at Seven Sisters Tube station. A 23-year-old man suffered stab injuries and remains in hospital in a critical condition. Initial enquiries have established that the man may have sustained his injuries in Silver Street, Edmonton.The last incident took place at 9.43am in Brettenham Road. Officers attended and found a man with a stab injury to the back. He has been taken to hospital for an assessment of his injury, and while his injuries are not life-threatening they are potentially life-changing.Smillie added: “We are working on the hypothesis that the single male suspect is acting alone and mental health issues may be a factor. All of the people he has targeted have been walking alone and he has approached from behind without warning.“Members of the public who have information about this suspect or have spotted someone acting suspiciously who matches his description are advised to call police on 999 and not to approach the man.”Scotland Yard said one man was arrested on suspicion of GBH at 10.53am in Fore Street. Enquiries continue to establish if he is the individual behind these incidents.Meanwhile, a gunman was at large following a shooting in east London in the early hours of Sunday. The victim, a 22-year-old man, remains in hospital with non-life-threateninginjuries, the Metropolitan Police said.Police were called at approximately 2:50am on March 31 to Penrhyn Avenue, Walthamstow, to reports of a man suffering a gunshot injury. Scotland Yard confirmed no arrests have been made.In Birmingham, a 24-year-old man, who was fatally injured in Smith’s Wood, Solihull, on Friday night, died on Sunday. The victim, named locally as Leneto “Lenny” Kellengbeck. It was the third fatal stabbing in three days following incidents near a mosque in Westminster, central London, on Thursday night, and another incident two miles away at Clapham Common the following day. No arrests have been made in any of the three incidents.West Midlands Police said officers were called to Arran Way just after 11.15pm to reports of a man being stabbed. The victim was found at the scene with critical injuries and was pronounced dead a short time later.Detective Inspector Michelle Allen from the force’s homicide team, said: “A man has sadly lost his life and we are working hard to establish the circumstances around what happened. The investigation is in its early stages, and we’re keen to hear from anyone who can help us piece together the circumstances leading up to the attack. If you were in Arran Way at the time, please contact us as you may have vital information about what happened.” Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

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