Eight people have been stabbed within just 72 hours in London as 'chaotic' scenes broke out on the streets during a series of violent attacks. It's been reported that four people were stabbed only a mile apart within three hours in Walthamstow, East London yesterday, the Mirror reports.
A man in his early 20's was discovered wounded in a vehicle at around 3:45pm yesterday with non life threatening injuries before a man in his 30's was found with stab wounds at 6pm. A further two men, both 18 were found stabbed round the corner from the second incident and have both been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Police have said it's too early to confirm whether or not the first man is related to the other three. MyLondon reported that a bystander said the scene was "a bit too chaotic with police trying to redirect cars and pedestrians."
A section 60 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, (CJPOA) was issued as a result of the stabbings, giving police the power to conduct 'no suspicion' searches. On Wednesday evening, a Facebook post shared by Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy said: "Given the proximity of the various victims, the narrow window of time between incidents, and other recent violence, a Section 60 CJPOA was authorised at 18:30 until 06:30 tomorrow morning, covering Waltham Forest Borough."
A Met Police spokesperson said: "Police were called by LAS at 15:48hrs...E17 to reports of a stabbing. A man aged in his early 20s was taken to hospital; his condition is not life-threatening.
"At this very early stage there have been no arrests; enquiries are ongoing. Police were called by LAS at 18:01hrs on 22 February... [to] E17 after a man was reported to have been stabbed.
"A man in his 30s was found with stab injuries. He was taken to hospital - condition awaits. Two more males - both aged 18 - were also found with stab injuries.
"They have been taken to hospital. They have also been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Enquiries are ongoing. Anyone who has information that could help police should call 101 ref CAD 5668/22 Feb."
The recent knife attacks in London began on Tuesday when an 18-year-old was left fighting for his life outside a Tesco Express in Hornchurch. New City College in Hornchurch, East London was put on lockdown after the horrific incident before the school evacuated and sent all students home for the day.
The victim was brought to the school campus before emergency services were called and is no longer in a life-threatening position. Romford MP Andrew Rosindell said: "My thoughts are with the victim and I’m sure I speak for the whole of Havering in praying for his swift recovery.
"We cannot continue to allow stabbings and violent crime on our streets!" A Section 60 order issued by Havering Police finished at midnight on Wednesday morning.
On the same day another young man, 21 was stabbed just before 2pm on the Route 62 bus in Barking outside the local school. The victim's injuries were not life-threatening and he was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.
In addition to the reports of the four stabbed in Walthamstow, reports of a 'knife fight' in IIford, East London emerged on Wednesday at around 2am. Police were called and found two men injured, one of them was suffering from a knife wound and the other had facial injuries.
Both of them had non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to hospital. A 50 year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of affray and two counts of criminal damage as well as a 25-year-old male who was also arrested on suspicion of affray.
They will both be taken into police custody after being treated at hospital. Later on Wednesday, a man in Clapton was rushed to hospital after he was stabbed yesterday evening on a main road.
No arrests have been made yet in connection with the incident. A spokesperson for the Met Police confirmed: "Officers were called... at 19.36hrs on Wednesday, 22 February, to reports of a stabbing. Officers attended along with paramedics from London Ambulance Service (LAS).
"A male was found with stab wounds. He was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital. His condition has been assessed as non-life-threatening. There have been no arrests. Enquiries continue."
In 2022, the Metropolitan Police responded to 13,405 incidents involving knives in only 12 months. Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the number of people killed with a knife in England and Wales was the highest it had been for 76 years.
In the year ending March 2022, data from the Home Office reveals there were 261 filed murders 'using a sharp instrument'.
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